The Viking and the Night Fury
by 4ft11
Summary: In a world where Vikings and dragons are at war with each other, young Hiccup must find her place among her people. Now crossed between two realities, with a Night Fury by her side, they must find a way to save their people together as one or be doomed forever. Based on the DreamWorks film, How to Train Your Dragon. Fem Hiccup & Male Astrid. Thank you & please enjoy.
1. Chapter 1

_Hello, welcome to this fan fiction of HTTYD. In this version, Hiccup and Astrid are gender bent as well as Hiccup being a vegan/vegetarian. I wanted to create a more meaningful bond between Toothless and Hiccup and felt this change could do so nicely. This fiction will include deleted scenes from the film as well as references to the television series. Being as this is my first fan fiction, I am open to suggestions and comments. Rating may be subject to change in the future. Posting this fan fiction 4-21-2014. Without further adieu, please enjoy and thank you for your time._

...

Sleeping soundly on her furs is the smallest girl in Berk, a small island in the Archipelago populated by stubborn Vikings. Her name, Hiccup. Short brunette hair framing her slim pale freckle covered face. Petite yet curvy physique, she's not your standard Viking.

Hiccup shivers awake, _Today's the day,_ she thought lifting herself up and hastily puts on her long-sleeved green tunic, dark tights, fur vest and matching fur boots. Slowly making her way to the staircase, careful not to make a sound as she stepped down. At the front door, she quietly opens it and exits to the cool night air.

Running across the plaza she makes it to the forge where she is the blacksmith's apprentice, making war machines and fixing dull or broken weapons/tools for the town. This is where she makes herself useful when there's a...

"DRAGON ATTACK!"

The sounds of doors smashing open and people shouting soon covers the air of the village as torches are lit. Coming down the stairs is Gobber, the blacksmith," Nice of you to join the party so early, Hiccup. I was afraid the beast'd carried you off."

"Me? And have you short a worker, no I'm too 'muscular' for their taste," she smirked sarcastically as she readied the fire pit and lit the candles.

"Ha, well, they might need a toothpick," he laughed throwing a worn sword over the hot coals and hammering away.

Hiccup opens the window where several men toss their twisted weapons on the counter with so little as a '_Mornin_'. She hugs the pile together and drops them over the pit, Gobber moving to a metal table to work. Within minutes she has them reshaped, sharpened, balanced and sent out only to have more customers at the ready.

"Hiccup!" a loud voice in the crowd called. Stoick the Vast, chief of the tribe. Some say he popped a dragon's head before he could crawl and like most others, she believed that. He's the big strong guy who defends the village from the raids and has mounted more dragons than you can count, and he was heading straight for the window.

"What are you doing here? What is she doing here?" he questioned looking around.

"Don't worry Stoick, she's with me," Gobber reassured. "Just worry about those pest at yer back," he calmly replied referring to the Zippleback behind him. And with a punch to its two heads, he was off.

Hiccup kept at her job, sharpening, shaping and sending off weapons while the others fought the great beast outside. To say she felt left out was an understatement. Killing a dragon is everything on Berk. Yet here she is, inside making the tools made to kill them. Not her ideal spot, but it's what she had to work with.

With the last customers gone, she had a chance to look outside. Fire eats at the new houses and sheep run amok. Villagers are shouting, chasing off Gronckles and Nadders. The fire patrol running with buckets of water, trying to die out the flames. Those in the patrol are the other teenagers her age: Fishlegs, Snotlout, the twins, Ruffnut and Tuffnut and Aarne. They all douse a house clear of fire before a giant fireball crashes down on it again. What she would give to be like them.

With them off to clear more fires, Hiccup felt a tug at her shoulder, "Look lass, I know you want to be out there, but here you're safe. It's fer yer own good."

"Yeah I know, but maybe if I have two minutes I could make my mark and..." he cut her off before she could finish.

"And that's exactly why yer father won't let you out. You might get a mark or a limb blown off and what then?" Concern in his eyes, "You can't fight like us; the best you get is to help make the fight easier with yer smith skill."

She knew it was true, her skills in the forge being the best she could give. She just wanted to give more. Gobber gave her a pat on the head, "If you want to help out there you need to stop," he lifted his broad arms towards her flimsy form. "...All of this."

She shot him a confused look. "But you just gestured to all of me."

"Exactly, stop being all of you."

"Thank you, for summing that up," she stated dryly.

"And if Stoick ever found out I let you out..." Gobber reached out for a sword waiting at the window.

"I know..." she drowned before imitating Stoick's brute voice, 'There will be consequences'."

"You get the idea." He handed her the sword," Sword. Sharpen. Now." With that, she was off to work once more, the thought of killing a dragon and being out there still fresh on her mind.

A loud siren could be heard, increasing in volume as it got closer. "Night Fury!" someone shouted. No sooner did one of the catapults burst into embers. She watched as her machines fell to the ground in burning chunks.

_"_Oh come on, it took me a week to make that one!" her arms extended towards the carnage in pure animosity.

Gobber reached for his battle axed hand and headed towards the door." Man the fort, Hiccup, they need me out there." She watched as he limped outside before flailing his arms around like a mad man.

She huffed and continued sharpening the sword before turning around. A lone sheep had managed to enter the forge. Out of fear, it knocked over her bola shooter. With the supports freed, it started racing down the door and to the village streets.

Witnessing its escape, she dropped the sword at hand and bolted after it like a wild animal. Outside everything was a mess. Houses burning to the ground, sheep in the air, dragons and Vikings just causing so much destruction. She had no time to react to any of it as she raced towards the runaway shooter. It bumped into objects and people, swaying this way and that, increasing in speed as it rolled down the slope. All around people were yelling at her to go back inside with her nervously crying out, "Sorry."

From the corner of his eyes, Aarne saw a flash of something fly by him and soon a small girl run after it. His eyes narrowed in disbelief before he released the pail of water from his grasp. "Hiccup?" Before he could stop her from whatever she was up to, a Naddar came from behind. He swiftly dodged its spine attack before landing a powerful fist to its scaly face.

"Bring it," he mocked, fist at the ready.

...

The machine made it to a clearing where Hiccup managed to finally grab on to its handles and stopping it in its tracks. Breathing heavily she looked around her. She traveled a fair distance from the village. She looked at the sky then back to the village. _This is my chance,_ she thought, looking to the starry sky for guidance. With that, she set up the shooter and aimed it to the darkness. "Come on, give me something to shoot at," she prayed.

Out of the darkness and starlight, a winged shadow came within her range and not holding back, she took aim and fired. The bola flew through the air before entangling itself on the shadowy figure. A loud cry rang as the figure flew from the heavens and crashed to the earth at fast speeds. Hiccup could hardly breathe.

She had done it, she had downed a dragon. Finally she had made her mark.

"Yes, I got it!" She turned to the village, "Did anybody see that?!"

No reply.

Her heart sank, her first win and no one cared or ever bothered to notice. Heavy breaths were felt behind her. Turning she stood face to face with a Monstrous Nightmare, who apparently was the only eye-witness to her glory. "Except you, of course," she dryly groaned before bolting back to the village, the Nightmare trailing not too far behind.

With the dragons nearly driven away, Stoick helps round-up the few remaining sheep till he hears the bellow of a Nightmare chasing a small figure. He huffs, "Get these sheep to a safe place. I've got something I need to do."

She zig-zagged around the plaza trying to lose it, but fails horribly when she reaches a torch pole. With the Nightmare preparing to ignited, Hiccup cowers behind the pole fast enough before blast of flame burn the wood dark. It snakes its head over the side, spotting her in a fetal position. Before anything else can happen, Stoick runs in and delivers a heavy blow to the dragons jaw. Both are dead locked eye to eye. The Nightmare breathes out to toast the man, but his fire is gone.

"Yer all out," Stoick marches forward and beats at the monster yet again, till he had enough and flies off with the rest of the dragon flock.

Turning over to see the damage, the pole that once was snapped in two, revealing the tiny girl behind it eyes down in shame. As the torch rolls down the side of the hill, the hidden sheep are exposed and taken by the remaining dragons. All eye Hiccup as she slowly lifts hers to Stoick, only responding with, "Sorry, Dad".

Stoick the Vast, chief of the tribe, was the father of such a small, weak halving of a Viking.

A pause sets in as the smoke clears. "Let me explain," she began before being grabbed by the collar and is carried away. "No, Dad listen, I was in the forge and my shooter rolled off, but I think I might of hi..." she rambled in the air before she was cut off.

"STOP!" Stoick shouted in frustration setting her down. Hiccup's eyes were wide open. He calmed down, ''Stop, I can't keep worrying about you every time there's a raid. I need you inside where it's safe because whenever you're out, disaster strikes." He gestures an arm out to the village, "Winter is coming and I have an entire village to feed."

"Well, between you and me, the village can go with a little less feeding, don't you think," she sarcastically stated. "You don't need meat to survive, Dad."

"This isn't a joke, Hiccup. Why can't you follow the simplest orders?" he sighed.

"It wasn't my fault, it was an accident. I'm just trying to be a dragon killer like you, Dad," she tried to hold back tears as she speaks, her voice failing her.

Stoick took a deep breath gathering himself, "You're many things Hiccup, but a dragon killer, isn't one of them."

He motioned to Gobber, "Take her home, make sure she doesn't cause any more trouble."

"Actually Stoick, with all the weapons now in need for repair again, I'm gonna need a hand to get it all done before noon," he stepped forward, placing a protective hand on Hiccup's shoulder.

With a reluctant groan Stoick answers, "Fine, but as soon as it's done, she goes home," he looked straight at Gobber. "Understood."

"Aye. Come on Hiccup, back to work with us." She followed as she and Gobber make their way back to the forge.

The twins laugh mockingly at Hiccup whose hands are wrapped tightly around her forearms. "Quite the performance, Hiccup," Tuffnut snickered as she passed by.

"I've never seen anybody mess up that badly, that helped, right Aarne?" Snotlout stated laughingly, shoving Aarne's shoulder in an impish manner which earned him a punch to the face.

"Thank you, thank you I was trying so..." she replied emotionless. Snotlout continued to laugh, his face bruised until Gobber pushed him out of his way, knocking him to the ground.

Aarne just stared as Hiccup walked off defeated, the image of her running after the machine in his mind. She always seemed to be at the wrong place at the wrong time. It managed to get her into trouble more often than not.

"Aarne!" He turned to Stoick who placed his hand over his shoulder, "I saw what you did back there, son. That's one heck of a left hook you've got. Good job." To hear the chief give him such praise gave him great pride.

"Thank you, sir."

With that, Stoick went off to carry out his business. Aarne turned back to the direction Hiccup and Gobber left to. Hiccup witnessing her father and him converse like father and son. She didn't hate Aarne, more so resented him because he was everything she wasn't and everything her father wanted for an heir. She turned away, Gobber looking back at Aarne whose eyes were fixated on Hiccup.

He knew that look all too well and gave a slight grin.

...

Apron still on, Hiccup leaned by the window for a while before villagers arrived with weapons in need of new repair. None said anything as she took their swords and axes, repairing them to their former glory. She worked silently, a sad expression on her face, before Gobber finally spoke, "Don't take it to heart, lass. It's his job to be tough on everyone."

"I'm not everyone, but it doesn't matter," she sighed dunking a heated sword into cool water, "the guy's impossible to please."

"He just doesn't want to appear to be playin' favorites."

"He's covered in that department, believe me," she began hammering dents away." If I didn't live in the same house as him I wouldn't even know he was my father."

Gobber looked over to her, "Have you told him that?"

"Well of course not. We barely even make eye contact," she finished and placed the sword with the rest of the repaired blades on the wall. "And when we do, it's always with this disappointed scowl, like he's been cheated or like someone skimped on the meat in his sandwich."

She puffed her chest as she began to imitate said chief in her best low voice, "Excuse me, barmaid. I'm afraid you brought me the wrong offspring. I ordered and extra-large boy with beefy arms, extra guts an' glory on the side. This here, this is a talking grass feed fish bone." Her shoulders fell in defeat.

"Now yer thinkin' about this all wrong. It's not so much what you look like, it's what's inside that he can't stand," he gestured to her as she faced him.

"Thank you for summing that up," she groaned bitingly.

"No, I mean there's the Viking way and then there's your way. And your way makes grown men uncomfortable."

"Speaking of uncomfortable, I'd like a new conversation, please," Hiccup remarked, clearly irritated.

"Alright, how's it going with the gentlemen?" he asked suavely.

"Oh yeah, way to get the mood back on track."

"Ah come on, I've seen the way Aarne looks at you."

She crossed her arms giving him a firm stare, "Please, Aarne wouldn't come near me if he was on fire and I had the only bucket of water in town."

"Hey," out of the corner of the room stood Aarne, axe over his shoulders. "Can I get this sharpened?"

"Aarne, welcome, what can we do..." she started before he cut her off, flinging his axe to the table near her and Gobber. The usual look of indifference on his icy face.

"Ah, my single apprentice here will service all of your needs." Gobber pushed Hiccup towards Aarne, closing the gap between them. "I have to go get...some? I'm just going here for a second," and with that, Gobber ran off, chuckling as he went.

"Gobber," Hiccup coldly hissed between her teeth at the man's retreat. She faced Aarne with so little as a grin, "Okay razor-sharp battle-axe, coming right up." She extends her hand for it before he retrieved it back from the table. He resists, finally allowing her access to his irreplaceable possession.

"Careful," he instructed, noticing her struggle to carry its weight. "That's my mother's."

She cautiously lifted the heavy axe to the sharpening stone, grinding the edge to perfection, "So I saw you guys on fire patrol last night." She repeated the process to the other side, "It looked like a good time."

"Yeah, I didn't get burned though, it's only fun if you get a scar out of it," he said as he browsed the wall of polished and razor-sharp blades.

"Yeah, no kidding, right. Pain, love it," she sarcastically stated as she examined the handle and leather work. Ripped and torn out from years of use, the handle was in no better condition. She grabbed the handle end and removed it from the heavy metal axe piece.

For the longest time no one said anything. Hiccup too focused on her work and Aarne not really wanting to say anything. Gobber usually sharpened his axe, but with him gone, all that was left was Hiccup. He trusted her to do a good job, he could tell she had skill by his browsing of the various weapons cleaned and displayed like trophies. From the corner of his eyes, he spotted her fiddling with some leather pieces, her back to him. She looked so small and defenseless like always, but here she walked with purpose and a sense of pride.

He stumbled upon a fabric covered doorway and pulled the sheet back. Hiccup noticed his actions off in the distance, "Uh, no you're not actually supposed to, ugh."

"What is all of this?" he looked around a tiny room full of blueprints and books of various sizes. This was Hiccup's private study where she came up with most of her weapon and tool designs not just for the village but for trade when Trader Johann came to port. Drawings of deadly machines covered the walls and desk.

"Um, those, nothing just some stuff I'm working on to just... Confidential upper level development, I can't really talk about it, so..." she was nervous, not even Gobber had seen some of those crazy designs, most were made on the spot for fun. Still, they were her personal things and Aarne had no right to barge in without permission.

Aarne glanced over the pages of weapon designs, each more deadly than the last. Her skills with weapons made her a priceless asset to the village, but he never imagined to this extent. One drawing caught his attention as he lifted it off the table. "The Mutilator?"

"Yes, yes uh basically two in weighted counter levers to launch crossing blades in four different directions," she rambled as she fit a larger handle onto the axe blade, fresh leather work on the end.

"How do you hold it?"

"Well you don't. You shoot it," Hiccup replied tightening the handle in place.

"Oh..." he blandly stated. Uninterested, he dropped the design back on the table, "I'm more of an old-fashioned take it down with an axe and then lop its head off kind of guy." He stood behind her, his thumbs under his belt, "It's kind of the Viking way, right?" His tall frame towering over her as she worked.

"Go Vikings," she dryly stated.

"Can't wait to get started tomorrow. We finally get a chance to show them what we've got," he continued on a tangent walking off to a shelf of weapons.

"Y-yeah, I'm so excited for you?" she looked at him confusingly.

He turned to her, "What you didn't hear?"

Hiccup merely shrugged.

"They're pulling men to crew the ships," he explained fiddling with a small dagger on the wall.

"And you're happy because you like to wave goodbye?" she was confused.

"No, they need replacements to defend the town. We start training in the morning. We'll be fighting dragons."

"That's good news, for you and the others who actually get to defend the town."

With that, she hands him over his new battle-axe. The blade sharp and looked nothing remotely like the one he's known for years. The handle and leather binding new and accommodated his growing hands perfectly, "This feels...different."

"Oh, I rebalanced it, gave it a new handle and leather work, tightened it up. We're a full service outfit here," she said plainly. She knew her skills and if he and the others were to become the next dragon killers of the furture, she'd make sure they were fitted with the best weapons she could provide.

"Huh, thanks," he grinned as he tested the blade by tossing it to the wooden beam, clean jab.

"You're welcome, Aarne," she smiled, not used to hearing a praise after finishing a weapon for others.

Aarne saw her sweet smile, a dusting of pink on his cheeks. His heartbeat sped and he felt a shiver run down his back. She looked so adorable, even more with a smile. Being congratulated by Stoick was something he was used to, but Hiccup saying his name so kindly was the greatest honor to him. She normally was so aloof to his presence; although he was to her at times he secretly admired her and her work.

If he wasn't so hard-shelled, he would have liked to talk to her more, maybe become someone special in her eyes. But he first had to prove it to her.

...

With the work done, Hiccup began arranging tools back on their shelves and dying down the fire pit. Aarne retrieved his axe before taking a swift breath, "You know I saw you run off after that thing last night. You're pretty fast."

She turned to face him, "Oh, thank you, I guess."

He mentally palmed himself, _Way to set the mood, wise guy._ "I mean, with speed like that it must be easy running away from dragons." _Really, great choice of words._

She stayed silent, a clear look of irritation on her face.

He was quickly becoming irritated with himself, "Look, what I'm trying to say..." _Is that I'm trying to ask you out!_

"Aarne! Bud, there you are," out of the corner came Snotlout. "I was looking everywhere for ya." He walked into the forge and tapped Aarne's shoulder blade. "I was wondering if you'd want to do some training for tomorrow, you know," he stopped and looked over to Hiccup shooting her a sly wink and grin, "Sup, Hiccup."

Hiccup rolled her eyes in disgust. She didn't have time for any of his shenanigans and went back to cleaning up the forge. Grabbing the nearby broom she began sweeping away the soot and dirt collected over the course of the day.

Aarne gripped Snotlout's hand from his shoulder and gave a slight twist, causing him to cringe in pain, "Actually, I'm kind of busy here..."

"With what? Whoa," Snotlout glanced over at Aarne's new axe, a slight groan in his voice, "Gobber treats you good huh? Nothing but the best for the chief's favorite." Aarne tightened his grip and twisted a bit more, earning his a yelp in anguish.

The remark caused Hiccup's head to shoot up and stopped sweeping. She tossed the broom back to the corner, causing a small noise. Both Vikings looked over at her as she began to remove her apron, tossing it to the ground, replace it with her vest and storm out of the forge, bitterness on her face.

Almost on cue, Gobber returned hoping the two got a chance to form some kind of bond, only to see Hiccup march out in a huff. Quickly, he reached the two young men, turning to Aarne, "What happened!?"

Aarne proceeded to release Snotlout's hand, causing him to fall flat on his face. Gobber pretty much got the message and sighed, "Better luck next time, lad."

"Hiccup, slow down!"

...

He turned toward the door and left the forge, clearly aggravated Snotlout managed to cock block him, although it wasn't the first time. Recovering quickly Snotlout began following his "friend", "So training..."

"I train alone."

"Right, lone wolf approach. I dig it! Better go off and do that myself, can't have you being the chief's favorite forever," with that Snotlout went off to his own devices.

Aarne tried to clear his head, thinking back to before his chance to ask her out was ruined. His cheeks began to burn remembering her sweet smile. Tomorrow he'd being training to defend Berk, and soon he would earn the heart of his favorite, _Hiccup_.


	2. Chapter 2

_Hello. After re-reading my first entry, I apologize for some of the improper grammar used and I have no recuse for it other than not proof reading the material properly. In the future, I hope to make less of those mistakes. This fan-fiction posted 4-21-2014. Anyways, please enjoy the next chapter. Thank you._

...

As the morning sun rose, so did the new houses and buildings of the town of Berk. All around villagers were picking up the pieces from last night's escapade. With everything coming together, Stoick walked to the docks with his adviser groaning with every step, "They're getting bolder."

He looked out on the overall damage. Usually it wasn't to this degree of wreckage and attacks on people were more frequent than past seasons. "At this rate, we won't have enough food to last us this winter."

"Should we send out a hunting party?" his adviser followed closely behind.

"For what, the devils already picked the island clean," he snarled. Looking over the distance, he spots one of their battle ships approach the docking station.

"Please tell me you have some good news?"

The captain shook his head in disappointment, "Another two ships lost in the soup and still no sign of the beast." This was not the news he was hoping to hear.

He gave a heavy sigh, "They're close, close enough to make us their hunting ground." He looked out into the blue, "I can almost smell them."

"Continue the search," he commanded as he walked away towards the town.

"With what?" his adviser followed. "We're not just low on ships Stoick, we're low on men."

"Then pull from the defenses," Stoick shoved past the advisor.

Wide-eyed, his adviser warned, "And leave the village unprotected?"

"We'll train replacements. This is a crisis," he had enough of these beast terrorizing his people and leaving them with little to nothing to survive on. "We need all hands on deck." This ended now.

"All hands?" his adviser calmly repeated. Stoick viewed the harbor and all the fishermen, warriors and repairmen, men and women alike. This was their home and they needed to defend it at all cost. Time was closing in on them and if not dealt with, the consequence would be the death of the tribe.

Through the sound of men and woman pulling ships and repairing wooden frames, Stoick heard growing whispers above them. Looking up, he saw the teenagers staring at the harbor, then him. They had heard. Soon this would be their battle and in due time they would need to stand and fight. It was the Viking way.

...

The sun was slowing breaking to dawn when Stoick walked to the square. There, he spotted Gobber fiddling with his prosthetic hand. "I trust Hiccup is home in one piece," he demanded rather than asked.

"Aye, just dropped her off a few minutes ago, you know with all the work done for the day and all."

"Good. Come with me to the Hall, there's an urgent meeting and I need everyone to attend."

"A meeting to discuss what?" Gobber asked raising an eyebrow.

"The nest."

"So the captain and others' found it then," slight intrigue in his voice.

"No" Stoick firmly said. "But we're not stopping now. That's why we need this meeting, to put it to a vote."

"For what?" Gobber questioned, a confused look in his eyes.

"All or nothing," Stoick huffed as he began his way to the Great Hall, Gobber not too far behind.

...

With everyone settled in the hall, the council began with the events leading up to the gathering. The raid, the empty-handed search and the nest. All were concerned for the well beings of their families and needed a solution, fast. Stoick led the front, "Either we finish them or they'll finish us!"

There were mutters of agreement from the crowd with nodding of heads and grunts of approval.

"It's the only way we'll get rid of them," he looked at the map before him. "If we find the nest and destroy it the dragons will leave. They'll find another home!" With the last words, he dove a dagger into the map where fog and sea monsters crept in an attempt to rid them from the canvas itself.

"One more search before the ice sets in."

"Those ships never come back," a voice could be heard from the far side of the hall. Whispers and mumbles from the crowd arose. The thought of being lost at sea or to the beast without returning to their loved ones was the price for their freedom.

"We're Vikings. It's an occupational hazard."

"Now who's with me?" he asked. The crowd went silent for a moment before groans and excuses to stay echoed in the hall's chambers.

"Alright, those who stay will look after Hiccup..." he persuaded. For most it was an easy choice. Hiccup was a well-mannered girl, clumsy but not intolerable. All she needed was to keep herself busy, simple enough. None rose their arms.

"And if I find just a single scratch on her," he continued darkly with an icy stare to the crowd, "there will be more than just dragons gone from this world." The choice was clear. Stay, and face the wrath of an anger Stoick or go and have him focus his rage on something other than them. The answer was simple.

"To the ships!"

"I'm with you Stoick!" All Vikings raised their arms eagerly, willing to face the wrath of wild demons rather the wrath of Stoick the Vast.

"Now that's more like it," he grinned at the crowd of 'willing' volunteers.

With the meeting over, all set off to make preparations for the voyage.

"Right, I'll pack my undies," Gobber rose to follow.

"No, I need you to stay and train some new recruits," Stoick replied seating next to him.

"Oh perfect, yeah, and while I'm busy, Hiccup can cover the stall. Molten steel, razor-sharp blades, lots of time to herself. What could possibly go wrong?" he dryly stated taking a swig of his drink.

Concern flooded Stoick's mind. "Oh, what am I going to do with her, Gobber? From the time she could crawl she's been...different. She doesn't listen. She has the friability and attention span of a sparrow."

Seeing his friend's struggle, he made the tough decision, "Put her in training with the others."

"No, I'm serious," Stoick remarked a look of utter dread on his face.

"So am I."

"She'd be killed before she sets foot in the arena," his voice slightly cracking at the thought.

"Oh, you don't know that."

"I do know that."

"No you don't."

"No, actually I do."

"No you don't!"

Stoick lifted himself pacing around the room, "Listen, you know what she's like, you've been with her most of her life. When she's with me, she starts asking these ridiculous questions. Gobber, I take her fishing and she goes berry picking and hunting for, for trolls!"

"Trolls exist," Gobber insisted enthusiastically. "They steal your socks, but only the left ones... what's with that?"

Stoick took a deep breath, "When I was a boy..."

"Oh here we go..." Gobber braced himself.

"My father told me to bang my head against a rock, and I did it. I thought it was crazy, but I didn't question him. And you know what happened?"

"You got a headache" Gobber said as he repositioned his tooth.

"That rock split in two. It taught me what a Viking could do, Gobber. He could crush mountains. Level forest. Tame seas." He sat again. "Even as a boy, I knew what I was, what I had to become. Hiccup is not that boy."

"Yer right, she isn't a boy, Stoick. And she isn't you. She questions everything in life. You need to see that she can't do all the things you do, not in the way you learned them. I've been there for her like a second father, teaching her and training her for a future, but she doesn't need me as a father. She needs you."

Gobber sighed knowingly, "You can't stop her Stoick. You can only prepare her. She wants to be like you and prove she's worth your time and worth to the tribe." He raised his hand out and put it on Stoick's shoulder, "I know it seems hopeless, but truth is you won't always be around to protect her. She's going to get out there again. She's probably out there now."

Stoick took his words to heart. He was right, she wasn't a boy and she wasn't him. She was a part of him and the tribe. And as part of the tribe, she need to do all she could to protect it. She needed to learn to defend herself, not just with weapons but with her fist. If that meant putting her in the ring with the others, so be it.

"Just think about it, Stoick," Gobber patted his shoulder and stood. " I'll see you and the others' off tomorrow." And with that, he left Stoick to his thoughts.

...

When Stoick reached home it was late afternoon, he noticed the quietness of it all. Like Gobber predicted, she was out. He gave a heavy sigh as he sat near the fireplace. It was here where Hiccup first asked him what it was like to be a strong dragon killer. Where she waited for his return whenever he was out at sea.

He was rarely there for her in her time of need. Maybe it was the obligations he had as chief or that for whatever reason he could never fully understand her and her ways. The way she talked seems to be coated in riddles and mystery. Her interest in puzzles and problem solving were unconventional to say the least. Her mind brilliant and sharp like a whip but so naïve and innocent to the world. The odd eating habits she formed over the years, eating only plants, berries and roots. Vikings were straight to the point. Vikings solved there problems by force. Vikings were ready for the harshness of the world. Vikings ate meat.

The words Gobber had said rang in his ears. _You need to see that she can't do all the things you do, not in the way you learned them._ She would have to learn. In her own 'Hiccup' kind of way how to be the best Viking she could be. It would take time and a lot more effort on her part, but if she managed, it would make her stronger.

His mind was settled, she would join the recruits tomorrow. Whether he liked it or not, she needed to manage without him some way or another. He couldn't keep her locked up like a sparrow, she needed to be set free and soar. He just hoped she would remember to come back down to earth safe and sound.

Standing up he made his way out the door and towards the forge, the sun lowering itself in the west. Spotting his old friend, Gobber began first.

"Stoick, been thinking about what I said earlier. Look, it's none of my business if you..." he was cut off.

"She starts tomorrow."

"Oh, well that settles it then, all good," he returned to his business.

"I need to have more faith in her; I just don't want to see her getting hurt or worse."

"Don't worry Stoick, she'll be fine. She manages here with all the fire and sparks. Heck last week, she nearly chucked her head off with one of her crazy inventions, ha ha the look on her face was..." Gobber turned to Stoick whose face was stern.

"She almost what!"

"Now now Stoick, she's fine, 'Mild calibration issue' she called it," he raised his arms up defensively.

"And were you two ever going to tell me this?"

"Well, we felt you might react in the way you are now so, no."

Stoick was fuming now. " I can't believe you put my daughter in such a hazardous environment. I have half a mind to forbid her from working here again!"

"So you admit it then?!"

"What?!"

"You only have HALF a mind!" he attempted to make a joke.

Both remained silent for a while, a crowd forming from the racket they had caused. Eyes glued to each other.

"Hah ha-ha HA HAH HAAHAH!" both exploded in laughter, arms around each other's shoulders. Even over the years, they were still as close as brothers, laughing off anger and mocking death in the face. After calming down they took deep breaths.

"Make sure she's safe," Stoick extending his arm.

Reaching for Stoick's hand, Gobber gave it a firm squeeze, "I always do."

...

After a few more words with Gobber and making arrangements for tomorrow's voyage, Stoick made his way back home. Near the entrance of the forest, he spotted Aarne practicing his axe throwing skills. His focus was sharp, never missing the target. Stoick walked up to him, "I see not only do you have a great hook but excellent accuracy as well."

"Thank you, sir," Aarne nodded. Yanking his axe from the trunk he looked over to his chief, "I heard about the hunt."

"Yes, it's our last shot to catch the devils before the cold sets in." He gave Aarne a hardy pat on the back, "I'm counting on you and the others to train hard for this village."

"Yes, sir."

Stoick took a deep breath, "You've been like a son to me, Aarne. I trust you. While I'm away, I want you to make sure Hiccup is safe in the arena."

Aarne furrowed his brows, "The arena?" He was under the impression she was to stay away from the action of battle.

"Yes, she needs to learn to protect herself," he leaned next to a tree. "But I can't stand the thought that she might get hurt in there. Just keep a sharp eye on her my boy."

He gave a confident nod, "I will."

"Good," he gave a reassuring pat to his shoulder. "You best get some rest, lad. It's a busy day for all of us tomorrow." He looked down at his axe. "Fine weapon. You care for it properly."

"Hiccup worked on it today, it's never been this smooth to handle."

"Really, Hiccup did this?"

Aarne nodded.

"Hmm, excellent balance, crisp blade, first class craftsmanship." He was regretting ever questioning her to leave the smiting business. With that, he left for home, leaving the young man to his training.

The sun was disappearing as Stoick returned home, Hiccup still nowhere in sight. He began to pack his travel sack and waited for her to return by the fireplace.


	3. Chapter 3

_Hello, I hope you're enjoying the story so far. I've decided to make Toothless slightly more aggressive in order to soften his character up in future chapters. Posted 4-22-2014. Please enjoy & thank you for your time._

...

After catching up with her, Gobber escorted Hiccup home as promised. For the most part, they were silent, occasionally reminding one another about metal orders and inventory. It bothered her that her father didn't trust her enough to help around more. Sure she was accident prone and maybe a little ditsy, but her heart was in the right place. She looked to the heavens for guidance, the sun was slowly inching its way up the sky with light puffy clouds blanketing the blue.

"We're expecting rain soon," she trailed in speech.

Gobber glanced up to confirm her statement, "Aye, and soon we'll be getting snow an' ice before the seasons end."

The thought of winter reminded her of last night's flop on her part, hitting the dragon and what her father had said. _Winter is coming and I have an entire village to feed_. She never meant for her actions to cause harm to the villagers. Her heart sank, _I'm just a walking wreck._

"He's so stubborn," she said under her breath.

"It runs in the family," Gobber gave her a smirk.

"Sometimes...I just want to be one of you guys," she frowned as they made it to the steps of the Haddock home.

"You don't mean that, Hiccup."

"I do. I look around and I see men and women fight to protect this village with their lives while I'm too weak to do so. If I had been born a boy like Aarne, then maybe I could fight or make my dad proud."

Gobber looked at her closely, raising a brow, "Is that what this is about? You mean more to your father than anyone else in this village, and that wouldn't matter if you were a girl or a boy."

"Come on Gobber, you see the way he looks at him," she motioned out to the distance. "He's the son I can never be to him. If he had a choice to start over and pick an offspring ten out of ten times he'd take Aarne," she sighed in sorrow. "Aarne's not a hiccup, he's the champion of Berk and what chief wouldn't want a champion by their side?"

"If you keep trying to compare yerself to Aarne, you'll only bring yerself more pain. Maybe he would take Aarne if he could, but he would have missed out on a brilliant smith, a wise inventor and not to mention a fantastic cook", he smiled as he saw the glowing grin on her face. "Who else can make turnip taste like trout without ever eating one?"

She beamed. Only Gobber really knew how to make her happy after being down, "You really think so?"

"If I had to choose, I'd pick you. You're a diamond in a coalmine, Stoick is just too focused on the coal itself to look at the gem he's got for a daughter," he placed a caring palm on her cheek, a loving smile on his face.

She reached out and gave him a firm hug, "Thank you, Gobber." He returned the embrace before they both let go.

"Be the best YOU can be and don't let anybody tell you otherwise," he told her as she made her way up the steps.

"I will," she opened the large door before disappearing behind it.

...

She was finally home. Her mind replayed the events of last night and the morning. She really wanted to know if she did down a dragon or if it was all in her head. Making her way up the staircase she slowly began to undress before heading to the bathroom near her room. It had a tub lined on the bottom with copper to trap the morning sun as it rose, heating up the water in it (her design, of course). Carefully she climbed in, washing away all the soot and sweat from the day, submerging herself so her hair got wet. She turned over and reaches for an herbal cleanser she made, her favorite,_ Sweet Grass_. All her troubles from her head to her feet washed away, allowing the calming aroma to relax her mind and body.

After the bath, she got out, dried her hair and redressed in a fresh pair of her usual attire. Making her way to the kitchen she snacked on an entire bowl of blueberries before grabbing her satchel containing her sketchbook, dagger and charcoal pencil. She walked towards the back door and made her way out to Raven Point.

...

"Let's see, if I calculate the angle of impact, taking into account wind speed velocity and estimated weight of dragon, it should be right...here!" she pointed to a tree. Now she was confused. She already searched a good chunk of Raven Point empty-handed, and she was certain her calculations were spot on. What was she missing?

"_Sigh_, the gods must hate me more than usual today..." she remarked as she crossed out another part of her sketchbook before slamming it close. "Some people lose their knife or a mug, not me I manage to lose an entire dragon."

She walked over to the tree, turned her back to the trunk and let her body slide down to the earth in a seating position.

If she ever found the dragon, what then? Maybe she'd rip out its heart and present it to her father as a trophy. The thought of it all sent a cold shiver down her spine. Truth be told she never thought she'd ever have to kill a dragon, let alone take one down. Sure she was always trying to do so, but it was mostly for show. Dragon killing was everything in Berk, so she tried to share their regards. She took a deep breath and remembered a conversation far back in time...

...

_Hiccup was running in the forest, ducking behind trees when she could. She was on a mission, a troll hunt. Gobber had told her all about them and she wanted to see one for herself. Every chirp and chatter would have Hiccup pause and scope the area for clues of a troll. She had to be sneaky to outsmart it, even for a four-year old she was considered bright._

_Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted a large stone formation and made her way to it. She circled around its' cold walls and found an entrance. She entered and found herself in a cove. There were large rocks and trees at the corner, even a pond in the center. She turned to a small patch of wildflowers. Golden petals danced in the breeze as a small blue butterfly glided on a flower. Carefully, she inched her way to it. When she was in close range she struck, catching it in her tiny hands. It fluttered this way and that in her tiny palms hoping for an escape. She gave herself a victories smile before..._

_"Hiccup Horrendous __Haddock __III__!" she flinched, she was in trouble now. "What are you doing young lady?" It was her mother, how she managed to always find her was a mystery but here she was, right behind her._

_"Nothing," she swiftly put her hands behind her back without releasing the incest._

_"Really, then what are you hiding behind your back?" her arms were crossed._

_"Nothing, see," she gave a quick twirl, her hands still clamped shut._

_"Hiccup."_

_Hiccup looked down, she returned her hands forward. Valka kneeled down to her daughter's height, looking down at her closed palms. She slowly opened them and revealed the blue butterfly motionless but still alive._

_Valka drew her hands near and extended a finger to the blue winged creature. It waited, then climbed onto her fingers slowly, fluttering its wings lightly. With the butterfly relaxed, Valka returned it to the flower where it stayed._

_Hiccup looked at the butterfly then to her mother confused, "Why'd you let it go, Mama? I wasn't gonna hurt it."_

_Valka lovingly stared into her daughter's big forest colored eyes, "Because, Hiccup, it has a job to do."_

_"What is it?"_

_Valka turned to the flowers, "What do you think a butterfly does, Hiccup?"_

_Hiccup looked at the little thing, "Nothing, it just sits there on the flower then flies away to a new one."_

_"Why would it just simple move from one to another, there has to be more to it than that." Valka never like to give Hiccup the answer right away. She wanted her to figure things out for herself._

_Hiccup thought for a bit, butterflies just flew around, right? She looked at her tiny hands where the insect had been moments ago. There was a light blanket of gold dust on her fingertips. She examined it and looked over to the butterfly and flowers, "The dust came from the flowers and the butterfly spreads it to other flowers."_

_"That's right. Without the butterfly, the flowers couldn't spread their pollen easily, they'd die without them."_

_"So the butterfly is important to the flower and the flower is important to the butterfly. If I had hurt it, it couldn't have done its job," she frowned slightly._

_"Oh, Hiccup," Valka scooped Hiccup into her arms and wrapped them tightly."You didn't know. Now that you do, you understand the butterfly a bit more and its purpose in life."_

_Hiccup listened closely to her mother's heartbeat, how it drummed soothingly, "Do you think butterflies have a heart?"_

_Valka mused over this for a while, "I'm sure they do. All creatures have a heart. And a heart means life."_

_"Fish and yak too?"_

_"Yes, fish and yak too."_

_"But we eat them, we eat things with hearts!" her tiny voice cracked. Suddenly the idea of eating something that was once alive and had a reason to live grossed her out. The thought that it once had a heartbeat and a mind made it even worse._

_"Ha-ha, yes. But thinking about it now it does seem off-putting doesn't it," she lifted herself, Hiccup wrapped in her embrace. "Let's head back home before your father gets worried. I'll make you a nice bowl of yak stew."_

_The thought made her slightly gag, "Maybe I'll just have some beets and turnips tonight, Mama. I don't think I wanna eat meat for a while."_

_"Ha-ha, alright dear, whatever makes you comfortable."_

_"Mama, do you think dragons have a reason for living?"_

_"I'm not too sure. Maybe one day we'll find out."_

...

Her mother's teachings about life and nature shaped the way she was now. After that day she stopped eating anything with a heart, soon even milk and eggs were something she shied away from. But even so her mother supported her decisions. When her mother disappeared, she felt alone. Not only was she an herbivore, but a hiccup. She tried to fit in with the others, but the more she seemed to force it, the more she detested herself. Maybe she was wasting her time here, looking for a dragon that most likely escaped or never got hit in the first place. "I should just visit the cove and pick some things for today."

She lifted herself up, grabbing onto a nearby branch. Once lifted, she released the branch which repaid her by smacking her right in the face, creating a semi deep cut on the right side of her forehead. "Ow, thank you tree, I really needed that," she looked up to it sarcastically. Gazing up she noticed its trunk clawed at and several branches hanging loose. _Something big came this way._

Following the trail of shattered tree limbs she reached disturbed earth as if something big had fallen. She quickly continued till she reached the end, looked forward and there she saw it. She ducked down breathing heavily. It was real. She found the dragon. From the quick look she got, it was black and dead. She peeked slowly. It was lying flat on its right side in a clearing near a large boulder and soft moss.

Mustering up her courage, she slowly made her way towards the boulder, gripping its stony body tightly. Leaning to the side she got a better look at it. It was definitely black. The bola wrapped tightly around its body. She pondered for a moment reviewing her calculations, "Of course, I didn't consider to add additional weight to the estimated mass." She palmed her face lightly, "Idiot!"

...

The sudden noise caused the dragon's eyes to widen. He trailed to the location of the noise. From the side of a boulder he could see a small figure muttering something to itself. Staring at this strange creature he determined it was human, small for one but still human none-the-less. Noticing it finishing its ramble he closed his green eyes, hopefully it didn't notice and figured him dead.

Hiccup snailed towards the dragon. It definitely wasn't a Gronckle or a Nadder. She'd never seen a dragon like this before. _Could this be a Night Fury?_, her mind racing with the possibility. From her satchel she pulled out her dagger, put her sketchbook in the bag and remained still. Kneeling down to it, she got a good look at its wings, twisted in ropes and metal rings. She placed her hand on its side. It gave a vicious shake and echoing roar. It was still alive. The movement and sound caused her to push herself back a few feet. She looked to its head and gazed into an emerald mirror that was its eye.

He glared at it. It was surely a female and was frightened as she should be.

Recovering from the shock, Hiccup took the dagger in hand and returned to the dragon's side. It gave a firm growl and breathed heavily by her actions. She followed suit and began taking deep breaths. "You can do this, Hiccup. You're a Viking. You're a Viking," she reassured herself calmly as she lifted the blade above her head with both hands.

This was the moment of truth. The moment that separated her from being the 'hiccup' she was and the Viking she needed to be.

She glanced over to the dragon's eye once more, still glued to her. Watching her every movement like a hawk. She felt pain and fear in that eye. It was almost human, too real. She shock the thought and closed her eyes shut, not wanting to see it see her or her actions.

...

This was it, he was about to die, at the hands of this pathetic excuse for a Viking. Her eyes met his and he saw confusion and vulnerability. She seemed to be struggling with the idea of killing him, something he never thought a human could do. At this point there was no use in fighting it. He laid his head down in defeat, it was over. He was as good as dead.

She took one finally breath and rested her hands on her head. She couldn't do it. She couldn't kill it. It was a living creature, killing it went against her beliefs in life. Killing was the Viking way, but she wasn't one of them. She knew now more than ever, she was different. She wasn't a Viking. She opened her eyes, a stream of hot tears rolled down her face. She looked at the beast once more, it had its head down in defeat, ready for the end.

"I did this."

It was horrible. Hiccup lowered the dagger to her side and placed her ear to the dragon's chest. The heavy beating of a heart drummed through her body. Her mother's words echoed in her. _A heart means life._ This dragon had life, a purpose and she took that from it. No, she had to give it back.

His eyes flew open at the sensation of not cold steel to his heart but a warm soft pressure near his chest. He remained motionless, breathing more heavily. Even more confusion stormed his head as he heard the sound of ropes being hastily cut and a loose feeling over his body.

Hiccup grabbed her dagger and looked around her. Hopefully she was too far out for people to notice the act of treason she was about to commit. Assured the coast was clear, she began digging into the ropes. One by one, cutting the only thing keeping the dragon from ripping her apart. It remained still throughout the process, probably too lost in itself to even notice.

She would cut the ropes, run as fast as she could and hopefully never have to deal with this ever again.

...

When the last rope was cut, he instantly pinned her down, his claw to her thin neck. He could easily snap it like a twig. Maybe he'd burn her alive, he didn't care, whatever got the job done. He pierced his eyes to hers, they were teary and full of fear. This was too easy for him, not that he minded, but she was putting up no struggle. Not a flinch or a cry for help, just staring back into his eyes, like he had done to her moments ago. Her face softened and she leaned her head to the side, steadily breathing, eyes closed. She was ready for whatever he had prepared for her. She was awaiting her death.

He stood there, just eyeing her, a smell of something sweet and herbal danced into his nostrils. It was her. She smelt of fresh sweet grass and pine needles. He slowly began to lose himself in her decadent aroma before snapping back to reality. _What am I doing?_ For the first time he really looked at her face, small spots trail her neck and profile. A fresh wound on her right side caught his attention. He lowered himself and took a slow lick over it. Her taste was earthy, delicious.

...

If she was to die, she would do so quietly, it was the least she could do for this dragon. It had a right to be angry at her like everyone else. If there was one person she'd miss, it would be Gobber. _At least I left him with a smile... S_he accepted her fate and relaxed, she wasn't afraid of death. The dragon took its time before taking a slow wet lick at her forehead. She was sure it was going to eat her, it wouldn't have the heaviest of meals with her but at least it would be a grass and root fed human for breakfast.

What came next was not sharp teeth or ripping of flesh, but a loud monstrous roar right into her ear. It was earth trembling and vibrated her entire body.

He somehow felt he owed this twig of a Viking something. From what he gathered she was of little to no threat to him. For heaven's sake, she had the most perfect chance to end him and let him free. Why? That was the puzzling part to him. Why didn't she kill him? Why couldn't he kill this sweet grass smelling, earth tasting, weak, pathetic, female?

He gave a final huff before taking off.


	4. Chapter 4

_Hello again. I wanted this chapter to explain how Toothless managed to get to the cove as well as get his viewpoint about Hiccup. Posted 4-22-2014. Please enjoy & thank you for your time._

_..._

Her ears still ringing, she remained motionless with her eyes closed for a good two minutes before she realized she was alone. Slowly fluttering her lids open, her vision blurred till it focused to tree branches and small glimpse of murky haze.

If she had to guess, it was close to noon. The morning fog was beginning to disappear leaving the air humid and misty.

Coming to the conclusion she was still in the land of the living, she inhaled a hefty chunk of air before letting it out exhaustively.

She laid there unmoved for a moment longer before regaining her strength to take a seating position, her legs curled to her chest and shivering arms wrapped around them.

"Oh, what have I done?"

She let it go. She let the only thing that could have changed everything in her life go. And why?

Because she couldn't kill a dragon.

Three hundred years of proud Viking heritage and she just turned around and went against everything her ancestors set out to do when they colonized Berk. All those centuries of unchanged authority shattered by a weak little hiccup who was not Viking enough to do something anyone else in the Archipelago would have done.

What would she do? What could she do? What would the villagers say if they knew? What would her father...?

She didn't want to think about it. An act of treason like this would mean immediate banishment, even execution seemed a more appropriate form of punishment for her crime, it didn't matter if she was the daughter of the chief.

She felt faint, a cold sweat enveloped her body as she slowly rocked herself back and forth.

"If they find out. If they find out," she mumbled, terrified.

The fear of total isolation scared her far worse than being eaten or burned alive by a dragon.

At least to her people, there was honor in that. But this, being cast off with no place to go, alone, was torture.

She played it in her head, someone would say they saw her release a Night Fury. She would bring shame to her family's name. She'd be forced off Berk with no recourses and she'd die miserable and unloved.

"If they find out," she continued till she made a sudden realization. "If..."

She had look around before setting the dragon free. She was alone in the forest when it happened.

Everyone was back in town repairing from the raid. Nobody knew she was out here. To the best of their knowledge, she was still home as her father had instructed. She had an alibi, albeit a weak one, but still they could without a shadow of a doubt attempt she was to be sent home and stay there.

"This could work," reassuring herself she stopped shaking and calmed down a bit.

She just never had to say anything to anyone about the little incident and she'd be perfectly fine.

Just one small detail was off, she wasn't home.

If her father or anyone else noticed she was out, her only alibi would be shattered.

She thought back on the day, retracing her steps from the moment she woke up to the here and now. What did she do today that would possible give her a reason to be in the forest. Alone. With no witnesses?

_Raid, help in the forge, sent home, bath, eat, walk in forest, free a dragon, now._ One event matched oh so wonderfully which explained her being here. _Blueberries!_

She ate blueberries. If she had a reason to be in the forest, it would be to look for food, considering her plant-based diet. No one would question it.

_Hiccup, why were you not home?_

_I was looking for food in the forest._

_Well that seems like a perfectly 'Hiccup' activity, I question you no further._

Of course she didn't like lying to others, she was terrible at it. But it wouldn't be a lie if she did go out and find food. She did consider it before actually finding the dragon.

All she had to do now was pick a few things, head back to the village casually and no one would be the wiser.

With her strength, back she lifted herself up. It took a while for her to get her bearings back, but soon she was good as new.

Hopefully the dragon was long gone and she'd never have to see it ever again. Her mind played back the events taken not too long ago. It had the perfect opportunity to get rid of her. But it let her go.

_Why?_

She let the thought sink in before brushing it off to the side. What mattered now was her building her cover, not worrying about why a dragon allowed her to survive.

She made her way deeper into the sea of trees.

...

He was having a difficult time getting into the air. This had never happened to him before. Night Furies were natural flyers, agile and sharp. Now he was bumping into tree limbs and felt sluggish.

_What's going on here?!_ he paused and examined his wings.

_Nope, still powerful and airborne._

He brought his tail to his face and there he saw it, or lack of it, his ears and scales dropped. _My fin..._ He inspected to only find one. The other, completely gone.

Panic set in, _Where? What? How?..._ His internal struggle ceased when the sound of footsteps set nearby. He crouched down to remain unseen.

Cautiously he lifted his head over the small hillside where he was and saw... _Her!_ A slight growl in his tone, his ears slicked back and nostrils inflamed.

_She did this! Her and that binding contraption of hers! I should have killed her when I had the chance. Because of **You**, I can't fly. You worthless piece of garbage!_ He so wanted to just pounce out and rip her apart for ripping a part of him.

He had to be smart about this. If he just appeared, she could scream, others might come and that wouldn't be good. No, he had to be stealthy. Observe, and at the right moment, strike.

Killing her wouldn't bring his fin back but at least he'd feel better about himself if she was gone. She didn't seem like much of a Viking anyways so maybe he'd be doing the humans a favor by eliminating her.

He waited.

...

Walking deeper into the forest, Hiccup stumbled upon various wild herbs and root vegetables. Carefully, she'd pick what she needed and placed them into her satchel.

Despite the incident last night, the incident at the forge and the incident with the dragon, it was a pretty good day for her. After all, she was still alive and that counted for something, right? She got to help Gobber in the forge during the raid and they had a heart to heart, which was good she supposed.

She wished she could have that kind of connection with her own father. He usually seemed too focused on other things to actually bond with her. Of course she didn't blame him for it; he was the chief after all.

But no matter how busy he was, he'd always find the time to bond with Aarne. How well he did or how much stronger he's becoming, it made her... jealous.

Aarne could never do wrong it seemed, he was perfect in every way a Viking could be. Strong, fearless, ruthless, smart, and on top of everything he had to be handsome; he had everything.

All she ever wanted was a simple: "Good job, Hiccup. I'm proud of you."

Was it too much to ask for? She went as far as learning how to prepare and cook all the things he enjoyed eating, from wild game to seafood, just to maybe get a response or something out of him.

He was just impossible to please.

She made it to a clearing where she heard sounds of leaves rustling behind her, she flinched and turned. From a distance she spotted a black shadow.

_Oh no. Just stay calm Hiccup, it's probably more scared of you than you are of it._

Turning back nervously, she pressed on, finding a gooseberry bush plastered with fruit. She opened a small pocket in her satchel and began picking at the red beauties till she could fit no more.

She heard the rustling again.

"H-hello?" she scanned around. From a nearby bush she could see something moving, it appeared.

...

He was tracking her not too far behind, allowing a good distance between the two of them. It was fairly easy to follow her as he could still smell her fragrant odor. She would occasionally stop to pick things then continued. He found her actions odd to say the least. Most humans didn't seem to bother with berries and edible plants, why was she?

Not paying much attention to his footing, he brushed by a bush. He stayed low, but she had heard the noise. To his relief, she just paused to look around then return to her business.

This stalking continued for quite some time before she took rest by a berry bush.

From a distance away, a bush began shaking. He heard her say something meekly and out of the bush a fawn appeared. Not older than a year it slowly made its way towards her. She watched it closely, making no sudden movements.

It began sniffing at her and her bag, taking interest in whatever she had in it. Taking something out of it, she presented it with a decent sized root vegetable which it eagerly took from her hands. It munched on it greedily. She placed her hand on its head and gave it a gentle rub.

The fawn didn't seem to mind the affection; rather it seemed to be enjoying it. Finishing it's meal the fawn continued insisting a petting from her, nudging at her palms before she began rubbing under its chin lovingly.

_What an odd pair. A human and a fawn getting all buddy-buddy. Disgusting._

After a few more pets, she said her farewells to the little guy who followed close behind her before trailing off to other places.

She was alone again.

He watched her make her way to a high stone structure where she entered through a small opening big enough for her. Looking around, he spotted an entrance not too high up. Despite his inability to fly, he managed to climb up with a bit of a struggle at first and made his way after her.

It was an enclosed space, a garden to the far side of it where she was kneeling.

_This is my chance,_ he had her in the perfect spot. Too far for anyone to hear her cries, if she managed to get any out by the time he was done with her.

...

The sun was high and it lit the waters of the pond to a golden glow. She walked over to it with a bucket she kept to hydrate her growing secret vegetable garden. Every year before winter would hit, she'd harvest what she could and secretly put it into the villages' food storage, the rest she'd watch over carefully till the thaw and collect the remaining batch and seeds to start a new harvest in early summer. She made sure she had enough to help her village along as well as provide for her own needs. Occasionally a few furry critters would snack on a cabbage or two, but she didn't mind sharing what she had with them.

From behind her she heard the sound of rubble. She was starting to feel rather uncomfortable. Maybe it was her guilty conscience that was playing mind games with her?

She felt alone, but was she really?

Every sound and wind howling by caused her to flinch and freeze. _Come on Hiccup, there's nothing there, you're worrying over nothing._

_Thump_

Over on the other side of the cove she heard a loud thump. Her breathing stopped for a second. The air seemed heavier, choking even. Instinct told her to run, but her body was paralyzed. From the end of the water-bed, she looked directly at the creature before her.

"Night Fury."

...

Both didn't move, deadlocked by the eyes. His, feral and cat-like. Her's, wide and dilated.

Toxic green to forest green.

Nothing was done for the longest time. The sun's rays slowly set and the shadows of the cove began to grow.

Everything came flooding back to her mind. Fear and confusion along with guilt and regret, it was all too much. She felt faint. Her legs were beginning to wobble as she quickly was losing balance till she finally collapsed on the cold ground.

With her down from exhaustion, he manically crept to her. She seemed smaller than he recalled yet still scrawny and hopeless. He lowered his head to hers, she was knocked out.

S_he's just making this too easy._

He growled lowly. No response.

Razor sharp teeth at the ready he was prepared to end it all here. He placed his jaw to her shoulder, not yet applying pressure. He wanted her to feel it slowly.

She slightly hummed from his actions sending small vibrations from his teeth to his entire body.

It gave him a warm shiver like none he'd ever felt before. He let out a faint purr involuntarily. The lingering scent on her added with the quivering sensation sent his mind in a state of bliss.

_Seriously!? What is up with me today? First I let her go now I'm stirred up. This shouldn't be so difficult. I'm a Night Fury for crying out loud! She should be begging for her life, not making risqué little sounds and this sweet-smelling flavor, it's confusing me!_

He was caught between a rock and a hard place. Just moments ago, he was all for ripping her apart. Now he just wanted to let it all go and keep sniffing her soft sugary being.

Letting out a dissatisfied grumble he released her yet again. He looked down at her sleeping form.

_Why me?_

She stirred slightly though, not enough to wake herself, just a little shiver. He paused before circling around her nonchalantly.

Getting a good look at her up close he felt rather silly feeling threatened by her. She was no bigger than a young fair-sized doe and was slender like one. Her limbs slim and appeared brittle like the slightest touch could shatter her to pieces.

_She's defiantly the runt._

The deep-rooted perfume of sweet grass and wild flora danced on the tip of his snout. He was nearly convinced she was made of the stuff, it just oozed out of her so alluringly.

He couldn't help but take a sizable inhale of her motionless body. His body tingled in all the right places as he released his breath, purring like a love struck kitten.

_**Sigh**, deep down I want to tear you from limb to limb but I just can't bring myself to do it. You're not worth the energy. You're lucky I'm in a generous mood, runt._

He walked over to a large cluster of boulders and curled up into a ball. He was exhausted from it all.

He closed his eyes and fell into darkness.

...

Her world was dark. Everything was closing in on her. She was done with dragons and done with being a Viking and done with trying to please her father. Just done.

A warm presence enveloped her left shoulder tickling her. It was soothing in a way, almost gentle. The sensation virtually melted away all her troubles and fear. It was a kind and new feeling, she enjoyed it.

Soon the feeling was gone but her troubles didn't seem as bothersome as they were before. _I'm gonna be okay._

Her eyes fanned open. Lifting herself she looked around. There was no dragon. Had she only imagined seeing it? She couldn't quite tell anymore, her head hurt thinking about it.

The sky was turning coppers.

"It's late." Hiccup grabbed the bucket of water and quickly splashed it on the vegetation before making her way to the exit, "Sorry, I'll be back tomorrow first thing in the morning, bye."

She gave the cove one last look around before leaving.

She didn't feel so alone anymore.


	5. Chapter 5

_Hello. Thank you for the kind reviews, it makes writing this fan-fiction much more enjoyable. Posted 4-23-2014. Please enjoy & thank you for your time._

...

Aarne had spent a good chunk of the day working on his accuracy. His new axe seemed to glide effortlessly from his palm before reaching its target.

The conversation he and Stoick had still had him on edge, how Hiccup was to participate in the dragon training with him and the others. It wasn't that the idea was terrible. It made sense to put her in.

Still, in the corner of his mind, he wanted to tell Stoick she didn't belong there. Not because she couldn't handle it, or to demean her, he just didn't want her in harms way.

Even if Stoick hadn't asked, he'd still keep an eye on her. He usually did. Whenever he'd go to the forge to resharpen his axe, he'd spot her working on one of her projects or restocking the walls with weapons. She worked with grace and discipline and the way she combed her bangs back when she was lost in thought made him shiver.

It seemed the only one who knew about his little crush was Gobber, who'd give him sly smiles and cheeky chuckles when he caught Aarne staring at her. He did seem to want him and Hiccup to get together which was nice but it usually seemed to back fire either on account of his poor word choice or interruption from something or rather **'**_someone_'.

It was no shock to him to find out Snotlout had a thing for Hiccup as well, he was even sure Tuffnut and Fishlegs were on the same boat. He couldn't really blame them for finding her attractive though. She was beautiful, intelligent, a skilled smith and from talks with Gobber, a talented cook.

Although he was sure he had a better shot with her than the others, he still felt unworthy of her. It wasn't because she was the chief's daughter, it was because she went out of her way to avoid him. He had to prove to her he could protect her from anything and anyone. When they were younger, she'd usually get picked on for being small and divergent. He never did so himself, he'd usually beat up anyone who'd made her cry or upset.

However most of the time, it was him doing the most damage.

Whenever he'd fight for her honor, Stoick would applaud Aarne's fighting skills, not aware of his reasons. Even showing him how to better improve his form. He spent so much time learning and training with him as a child, he didn't realize he had inadvertently taken away her father, becoming Stoick's 'favorite'.

It got to the point where when they were six she just completely shut him out.

His demeanor hardened over the years from training with Stoick and the other men in Berk, becoming the ideal Viking in both skill and strength.

When he turned eleven his coldness translated to his communication skills, usually hard and unfiltered.

It was their first conversation in years that caused him so much grief...

...

_Hiccup had her sketchbook at hand walking down the plaza to the forge. _

_If she had been watching where she was going, she wouldn't have bumped into something hard knocking her down to the ground. She looked down at boots, realizing she had collided with someone. "I'm sorry, I..."_

_"Watch where you're going, Hiccup," the voice was harsh and somewhat degrading with the way her name was said. __Almost as if calling her its meaning: weak and small. She shot her head up, it was Aarne. _

_He had a stoic expression and piercing blue eyes that made her feel all the more weak and small._

_He hadn't realized it until her eyes widened with offense what his words sounded like. To anyone else his tone was casual, calm even, but to someone like Hiccup his words were ice. He only meant for her to be aware of her surroundings. _

_Before he could explain she bolted in the other direction, too ashamed and hurt by what had happened. __It took her nearly a week to confront Aarne while he was practicing his axe skills._

_"Aarne?" he turned to see her trembling, head down in shame. "I'm very sorry for crashing into you the other day and angering you. I'm sorry for everything." _

_With that said, she went off into the forest and disappeared amongst the trees. _

_She apologized. _

_She apologized thinking she was the problem. _

_His heart sank. He felt no better than the common bullies who picked on her. She felt the need to atone to him, because at the end of the day, she felt it was all her fault. _

_He laid down, hanged his head low. "It's not your fault."_

...

He vowed to prove himself to her; that he was not like the others.

It took time but soon he managed to lighten his tone around her, even managing little conversations here and there without upsetting her. Those days make him the happiest, when he earned her angelic giggle and smile.

There was still the 'favorite' issue. No matter what he'd do, it'd be accompanied by a 'Good job', by Stoick.

That was the main root of his problem with forming a relationship with Hiccup and until he figured out how to remedy the situation, he'd have to keep trying to win her heart in other ways.

The sun had nearly disappeared before Aarne's arm finally became sore. He swung his axe once more at the trunk, not missing the indentation left in the wood by the sharp blade edge.

He retrieved it before making his walk back home.

From the entrance of the forest, he spotted a tiny figure walking towards the village.

_Hiccup?_

He wasn't expecting to see her out. She was supposed to be home, but here she was exiting the wild and back into town.

_What are you up to?_

If he was to be keeping an eye on her, he figured now would be as good time as any. Staying a fair distance away and keeping mostly to the shadows of the trees and nearby buildings, he trailed behind her.

...

Hiccup's legs felt light.

She ran the day over and over in her head, trying to figure out where she had gone wrong. What was supposed to be a good day seemed to spiral into chaos.

She took down a dragon, she let it go. She helped in the forge, she got mocked by Aarne. She tried to be the best Viking she could, she committed the worst treason to her people.

She groaned walking to the plaza area. There were still people finishing the day's chores but for the most part it was uncrowded.

Nobody seemed to notice her as she made her way which she was grateful for, being as she wasn't supposed to be out.

A few houses away she noticed a small boy trying to jump up, reaching for something. She looked to see a helmet with large horns on either side hanging from a tall post. Taking a closer look she recognized the boy as Gustav Larson. From the sight, he must have been victim to one of Snotlout's pranks. She figured this as she got closer and could hear him cursing his name under his breath.

He somewhat reminded her of herself at his age. Small and lonely. He didn't have to go through that, Gustav deserved better.

She marched to the post and on the very tips of her toes managed to retrieve his helmet. Gustav stared as she brought his helmet down for him a sweet smile on her face. He slowly reached out for it, giving her a grateful smile, "Thanks, Hiccup."

She motioned her index finger to her lips. "Our little secret, okay?"

"Deal," he returned his helmet to its rightful place and stormed off home before waving goodbye to her.

She returned the gesture before she herself made her way home.

...

Seeing her return Gustav's helmet brought a smile to Aarne's face.

She was too kind for her own good.

Hiccup placed her finger near her lips. _She wants it to be a secret?_ he's eyebrows narrowed.

_Of course she would, if anyone found out the Larson kid got help from Hiccup he'd be treated just as bad as her._ She was willing to keep her good deeds to herself rather than let them be known for the protection of others.

He remembered what had happened at the forge when he barged into her study. All the hard work and effort she put into crafting weapons and designing new models for war machines were for their protection.

She was always there to help and she never asked for anything in return.

Even his axe.

She didn't have to go through the hassle of upgrading it when he only asked for a sharpening, she provided him with the best she could give. He gripped onto his axe tighter, it was late and he needed to head home.

Aarne looked back to see her do the same, '_Rest well Hiccup, it's gonna be a busy day tomorrow._' And with that, he went off.

...

When she made it up the steps she reached for the door handle slowly, careful not to make a sound.

_Hopefully he's already in bed or out for a drink,_ she prayed her prediction was spot on as she hush fully entered the house.

Luck was not on her side however seeing as her father was seated by the fireplace, like she had done so in the past. She stiffened slightly before closing the door not making a sound. As soon as the door shut she paced towards the staircase. Her hands and feet on the steps, she climbed up like a silent feline before a small creak came from the floorboard revealing her from the shadows.

"Hiccup."

She grimaced. "Dad...uh. Uh I have to talk to you dad."

He stood up and walked near her by the stairway holding his hands behind his back, "I need to speak with you too, dear."

They both took a short pause to inhale as much air as possible.

"I've decided I don't want to fight dragons."

"I think it's time you learn to fight dragons."

"What?" they spoke in unison, not quite hearing what the other had said.

"Uh, you go first."

Hiccup slowly climbed back down straightening herself up, "No, no you go first."

"Alright," he looked down trying to the find the strength to say what needed to be said.

He handed her a helmet similar to his. "You get your wish. Dragon training, you start in the morning."

He shot her a firm smile as she placed it on her head.

"Oh man, I should've gone first." She panicked scratching the side of the helmet scrambling to get herself out of this mess. "Cause I was thinking. You know, we have a surplus of dragon fighting Vikings," she motioned her little fist in front of her, "but do we have enough...bread making Vikings or small home repair Vikings..."

He wasn't really listening to her ramble and extended an axe to her form. "You'll need this."

Its weight knocking her down a few steps to the main floor as she cradled it in her arms.

"Take care of them, they were your mother's." He tapped the helmet. "Breast plate, matching set."

She cowered a bit, "I don't want to fight dragons."

"ChHaa-Ha, come on, yes you do," he turned around and walked to the table.

"Rephrase...Dad, I CAN'T kill dragons."

He turned to her and cheered as he lifted a fist, "But you WILL kill dragons."

"No, I really very extra sure that I won't."

He retrieved his travel sack before turning to her again. "It's time Hiccup."

"Can you not hear me?!" she repositioned the helmet so she could see her father straight in the eyes.

"This is serious, child. When you carry this axe," he reached out for it effortlessly, "you carry all of us with you."

He handed the axe back to her, its handle landed on the floor with a loud clang.

"When you wear this helmet," he touched it with his hand, "you carry a piece of your mother with you in battle."

He replaced the axe back into her arms calmly. "Which means you WALK like US. You TALK like US. You THINK like US." He straightened her posture. He extended his arms out, a look of disappointment on his face, "No more of...THIS."

She rolled her eyes and dryly stated, "You just gestured to ALL of me."

"Deal."

"This conversation is feeling VERY one-sided."

"DEAL!"

"...deal."

"Good."

Stoick lifted his travel sack and hosted it over his shoulder. He took a deep breath before walking towards the door grabbing his own helmet. "Train hard. Got a few things to do before dawn. Get some sleep."

"Okay dad... Goodni-"

Stoick walked out and closed the door with a hard slam leaving Hiccup to process what just went down.

...

She set the axe down by the steps and removed the helmet, looking at both carefully.

Inscribed on the blade was a decorative pattern of spirals and dots. It was she Mom's alright.

Valka Haddock. Strong, heroic, brave, loved.

She could never be worthy of her battle-axe and helmet, she couldn't even kill a dragon and know she had to fight them. Walking to the kitchen, she emptied her satchel of food and put them in their proper storage baskets before returning to the staircase.

"Why me?" she huffed as she walked up the steps with her new axe and helmet.

She sat them on the side of her bed, as she processed to undress. Her body felt worn out, more so than any day working at the forge. Making her way to the tub, she sat in the cool water, trying to rub away the entire day from her physical form. Hiccup submerged herself and stayed there for a moment letting the silence engulf her.

_I don't know what to do mom. I've been nothing but a big screw up. What would you have done? What am I doing wrong?_

She emerged for air and wringed out the excess water from her short tresses. Her hands grazed the area where she had scratched herself from the forest. It was gone. Looking at her reflection in the pool, the spot was clear as if the cut never existed. "How can that be?" She remembered to when the dragon had licked her wound.

"Could it have..." she tried to wrap her head around it. Could the dragon's saliva heal? Was it trying to help her or was it only interested in eating her and if so, why was she still alive?

Her mind raced with questions she couldn't find the answers to as she cleaned herself with the sweet grass formula. With every question she seemed to wonder why she couldn't kill it. Weakness? Fear? Loneliness?

She pondered if the dragon had felt the same way. Its eyes seemed mortal, full of emotion.

Hiccup could still faintly feel its heartbeat echoing inside her. Drumming in sync to the rhythm of her own.

Slowly, she raised herself from the bath and dried her body before emptying the water from the drain. She pulled a lever from above, fresh clean water cascaded from a pipe where she collected rainwater for the plumbing of the house. With the tub filled with new water, she made her way to the bedroom. Dressed in a simple long-sleeved baggy grey tunic she crawled under the furs and got comfortable.

She looked out the giant skylight above her bed to the starry sky. The day had been less than ideal for her.

Her breathing steadied, the day's events flashing before her eyes once more.

The raid. The Night Fury. Now this.

Her body felt weightless as well as her mind. She closed her emerald eyes to the world.

_Today was the day._ Her final thought before sleep took hold of her.


	6. Chapter 6

_ Hello. This was probably the most challenging chapter as of far, so I hope I did alright. In this chapter I wanted to explore an average morning for Hiccup and her role as a daughter. After this chapter, I'll post the next one in three to four days time, I hope this won't be an inconvenience. Posted 4-25-2014. Please enjoy & thank you for your time. _

...

Droplets of cold water stirred Hiccup awake. She rubbed the moisture and sleep from her face as more drops fell from the heavens. Rising from bed, she took hold of the hand crank that controlled the skylights door and proceeded to close it before her room was laced with puddles of rainfall. Before it closed she glanced at the cloudy grey sky. It was still dark with the sun probably a few hours away.

She stood still for a moment. Today was the start of dragon training which she thoroughly didn't want to participate in. There was no getting around her father when his mind was set though, so for now she'd have to suck it up and do as she was told.

_Might as well start the day._

Hiccup changed her clothes and gathered her laundry downstairs quietly as to not wake her dad.

When she reached the main floor she walked over to the kitchen where she set down her laundry basket and went over to light the fireplace, leaving a small gap in the smoke filter so it could run free while not dying out from the rain. Fire started, Hiccup made her way to her father's room located on the far side of the house. He was still sound asleep snoring like a hibernating bear. She swiftly took his laundry basket and set it on the floor near hers. She opened the back door, collecting a large bucket lined with copper full of fresh rainwater inside, careful not to spill any liquid on the ground.

Placing the bucket near the fireplace, she waited for it to come to a manageable heat before moving it to the far side of the kitchen near a drain. She grabbed a second bucket and divided the water accordingly. From a pantry above she opened a bottle of soaked soapberries and mixed in a tiny amount into one of the tubs before proceeding with the laundry.

It took her a good half hour to complete the job of washing away all the gunk from their clothing before she rinsed them out and hung them near the fireplace via rope system to dry, considering it was still pouring outside.

With the laundry complete, she cleaned up before gathering ingredients for breakfast. For her, baked beans, a bowl of mixed berry porridge with a spiced wild mushroom and herbed potato hash. For her father, four large scrambled eggs on buttered toast, baked beans with honey glazed yak meatballs, smoked and cured salmon slices and herbed potato and mushrooms with a large mug of mead.

She ate her food quickly then washed up the dishes and cleaned the tabletop. She left her father's food closet to the fireplace by the table so it stayed hot when he woke up to eat breakfast. With that done she gathered up the already dried clothes, folded then accordingly and put them away in their rooms.

By the time she was done, the sky had started to clear and the rain stopped pouring. Hiccup wondered if she should go to the cove, considering the vegetables had already gotten water.

_I probably should check it out, just to make sure they're alright. Hopefully the potatoes haven't gotten too damp._

Her mind set, she grabbed her satchel and made her way to the cove.

...

Stoick awoke to the smell of potatoes and yak. He rose to find his laundry done and a hot plate of food awaiting him. Looking around, he noticed the silence of the house, she was out again.

He sat and dug into his meal. He savored every bite before washing it with a gulp of mead.

Hiccup was an avid cook, he felt he never truly voiced how much he appreciated her for trying so hard to accommodate to his diet with hers so conflicting to his. Or for keeping the house organized and clean on a regular bases.

She really took the rails of tending to the house when Valka disappeared.

Still so young and having to grow up so quickly to tend for two people who were so different from each other in many ways. But he never heard her complain about any of it, she would do her work with a sense of duty and determination. He hoped she could channel that energy into the arena. Finishing his breakfast he washed his dishes before bathing and dressing for the voyage ahead.

With everything at the ready, he headed out the front door to the damp world ahead.

...

Fog covered the forest floor as Hiccup entered the cove. The birds could be heard singing on branches as well as dragonflies hovering to and fro.

She walked over to the vegetable patch, the soil slightly damp but not over watered. The bucket she used was filled to the brim. She took it and emptied it into the pool of water with so little as a splash.

It was grey and warm out, she enjoyed this weather when Berk had the opportunity to get it. It made her feel calm, not too bright and not too dark. A perfect balance of peace and stillness.

Hiccup looked over to a patch of yellow wildflowers like those years ago when her mother was still around. She walked over to them and kneeled close, tracing the petals with her fingertips, feeling the dewy droplets of water trail down her palm.

She felt warm inside and her breathing softened taking in the sounds of the forest.

One sound caught her attention, like heavy slow breaths, they weren't coming from her. She followed to where the sound came from, careful not to make any noise. Peering over a cluster of boulders, she saw a large black figure curled into a tight ball.

She quickly covered her mouth as to not scream and alert the dragon to her position.

_It's here?! Why?! This doesn't make any sense?!_ she took a step back desperately praying to not awaken it from its slumber.

Her left foot stepped on a brittle twig, giving a quiet snap but to her, it was the loudest noise she could have possibly made.

Not wanting to stick around, she made a dash for the exit, almost losing her footing on the bed of wildflowers as she made her way out.

...

He was up in the open sky, the wind whistling in his ears. It was pure magic.

The freedom of being above the world, no strings tying him to the earth, this was the ultimate high to any dragon.

He looked below to the vast fields of dark waters graced with the shimmers of moonlight dancing upon its surface. Here, he was lost between the night sky and stars, intangible to the world of man and beast alike.

If not for his duties to the hive and its czar, he'd be truly free. Tonight however, in the sea of starlight he felt no bound to any.

The air rushed to him in an instant, his body and wings confined by twisting cables. He fell to the turf below crashing into branches of large pines before ripping through the soil, motionless to the trauma his anatomy ordealed with.

Swirls of flame surrounded his tangled figure.

On one side of the embers stood tall shadows' of men, dancing wickedly. To the other side the poison eyes of the Red Death, dark prince of Dragon Island, ruler over his horde of enslaved dragons.

His body was freed from the shackles.

If he chose the path to the men, he'd face the shadows of axes, sharp blades and steel.

If he chose the path to the Red Death, he'd dare the ruthless wrath of the monster.

He felt trapped.

He tried to escape but he couldn't lift himself off the ground. The fire tightened around him as did the shadows' and Red Death. He couldn't breathe, the air heavy and hot.

Doom set in.

The smell of sweet grass graced his nose. He turned to a bright light behind him, it drew away the flames; a cool sensation of fresh air blanketed his soul.

The light silhouetted a young human, arms held out in a comforting way. He felt drawn to it, the shadows' and eyes behind him seemed insignificant in comparison.

Slowly he inched toward it, hope and some other feeling he couldn't explain enveloped around him.

It reached out to him, so close to touching him...

_Snap_

...

His eyes flew open. Scoping his surroundings, he remembered where he was and how he ended up there.

_That dream felt so real. Who was that?_

Lifting himself, he shock off the moisture from his scales, stretching out his wings and flexing his spine like a dozing cat. He needed to get out of this situation. If he stayed he faced possibly being found and killed. On the other hand, heading back to Dragon Island empty-handed wasn't the wisest of ideas.

He'd however face his own kind's precautions rather than the shame of being executed at the hands of their enemy.

He shook his body awake before extending his black wings and attempting to stay in the air. With every flap, he'd just glide lowly before returning to the terra below.

...

Hiccup escaped out with her life still intact. Her breathing rigid as she leaned behind the cold stone wall. She lifted her head to the sky in hopes for some reassurance of something. Nothing but grey. Trailing her eyes to the wall she spotted a large opening from above. She stepped back to get a better view and sure enough, there was a decent sized hole.

Thick vines and roots snaked from the opening. _What am I thinking?_ she placed her palm to a sturdy root and began to make her way up the opening.

Why she had to be so curious about this dragon she'd never know, but that thought was pushed to the side when her feet were flat on solid stone.

She followed the tunnel back to the cove. She had never seen it from this high angle before, it seemed larger and more colorful.

Stepping forward she felt a hard stone to her boots. Several black scales were scattered on the ground. Kneeling to it, she brought her hand out to touch one. It felt smooth and cool like polished stone. She grabbed a hold of it, examining it closer. The sound of clawing stone and plant fibers startled her to turn around.

It was the Night Fury.

It didn't seem to notice her there as it struggled to claw at the stone before gliding back to the earth.

She let out a meek gasp and tried to stay low.

It gave out a hardy roar as it flapped its wings vigorously.

Almost by instinct she reached into her satchel and took out her sketchbook and charcoal pencil, sketching the beast before her.

It was a rough rendering, hastily drawn as she looked from the book to the dragon. She finished the piece and took a final review of her subject.

It was standing still near the water's edge snapping its teeth at the fish in the water. She eyed its figure before reaching the tail area.

_Only one fin?_ she rubbed the side of her palm to the left fin on the paper.

"I don't get it? Why don't you just...fly away?"

Trying to leave unnoticed, her pencil rolled out of her palm. She extended her arm and fingertips, it fell to the floor below, the wood to rock sound echoed in the quiet of the cove.

It heard and turned to the rocks and trailed its eyes up to her.

...

They ensued to stare at each other, not doing anything else.

She tilted her head slightly and leaned back a bit. He mirrored her actions but held his ground.

_Doesn't she have better things to do than this?_ he shot her a confusing glare. He didn't feel so cross towards her today since he had some time to cool off and regain his composure.

He was only irritated by her presence.

Just yesterday she let him free, he in turn let her live and when they were in the cove, he let her go. Now here she was.

She proceeded to retreat back into the tunnel and disappeared for some time. He wasn't too sure if she had gone off to tell the other Vikings of his position. He felt a tight knot in his stomach.

Whether it be from hunger or worry he couldn't tell or care less by this point.

A shadow appeared by the small entrance, he stiffened and held his ground.

If it was to end here, he'd put up one hell of a fight.

The girl peeked her head over the edge of the entrance.

She was alone.

He remained in his position, confused.

_You're an odd runt, I'll give you that._

She made her way back into the cove tiptoeing herself, hardly taking a breath.

Tracking her pencil she leaned down, eyes still on the dragon who never took its eyes off her. Retrieving the item, she lifted herself before backing away slowly.

She gulped, their eyes still glued to each other.

Fear began to set in again.

Why did she have to come here today?

Why was the dragon in the cove?

Why on earth did she think it was a good idea to get her pencil back knowing she had dozens of them back home?

The sound of loud grumbles vibrated in the air. Her eyes widened.

_It's hungry._

Her fear melted, she felt sympathy.

She thought about the situation. One: It couldn't get off the ground. Two: It had only one fin on its right side. Three: It was struggling to eat.

She took a gasp of air, _It can't fly._

The memory of the shooter appeared in her mind. She took down a dragon in more than one way.

She may have giving it its life but she took something far worse, its freedom.

Guilt swepted over her. Hiccup might as well have taken its heart because she was pretty sure that's what it was feeling, heart-broken.

_This is my fault._

She looked over to the garden for a brief second. She didn't even know if dragons ate plants, but if it really was hungry it could probably eat anything... She took a moment to think that over.

It could even eat her.

It could have before, but who's stopping it now from just lunging at her with its razor sharp fangs.

"If you're hungry," she shyly stated as she continued towards the exit, "you're welcome to whatever you want from the garden." She turned around and bolted like no tomorrow.

He gave her a toothy snarl as she disappeared.

Her legs wouldn't stop running. In the back of her mind, the Night Fury was not too far behind just waiting for her to rest, even though she knew it not to be true.

She ran through fields of wildflowers and shrubs all the way home. When she reached the back door she opened it quickly and slammed it shut, not caring if her father heard.

Panting and sweating, she sat at the wooden floor.

_I think I'm safe now._

Out of breath, she listened to the sound of the house. Only the crackling of firewood was audible. _He must be at the docks?_

She stayed still till it hit her, _He's at the docks!_

Her body went into overdrive as she raced up the stairs and grabbed the axe and helmet. With them at hand, she marched back down, extinguished the fire, flashed to the front door and stormed to the harbor to give her father his farewells.

...

The harbor was packed to the brim with Vikings boarding ships and kissing their loved ones goodbye.

Stoick gazed upon the sight giving a firm heave of air. He really hoped they'd find the nest and rid the demons once and for all, for his people and for Hiccup.

Once the dragons were gone, maybe he'd finally find the time to get to know her. With the way things were, he couldn't do so without looking over his shoulder for any signs of danger. She was his little girl and even though he rarely expressed it, the thought of losing her would be the death of him.

Hiccup was all he had left.

He'd do anything in his power to defend her from whatever the world had in store for her, but she was growing up and she wouldn't need him forever. She'd one day be chief, marry and have children of her own. He just prayed she'd be a better parent than he turned out to be.

"Setting the final touches before you set sail," Gobber limped by him staring into the endless blue waters.

"It'll be a matter of time before we head off."

"How did Hiccup take the news?"

Stoick sighed, "Not at all how I expected her to take it. She started on about not wanting to kill a dragon, can you believe that?"

"Well, did she explain why?"

"There doesn't have to be a 'why', it's what we do. And I can't have her being difficult anymore; she needs to be one of us."

Gobber looked over to his chief, "She IS one of us, why can't you see that? Maybe she's not the strongest of the toughest but that doesn't change that fact that she's a Viking or your daughter."

"You don't think I know that. Brains won't get you far here and it's time she learns that and starts acting like a true Viking." He took a frustrating breath. "It's not for my sake, it's for hers."

Wanting to say something, Gobber instead held his tongue and walked over to one of the boat and helped load cargo.

Stoick turned over to see Aarne doing the same, "Good to see you here, son."

Aarne tossed a sack over to one of the men on board before straightening himself, "Just helping where I can, sir."

He grinned, Aarne had grown well into his role as a Viking. He saw a bit of himself in him at his age: determined, focused, ready for anything set in his path. "You've been a great help, I know you'll make us all proud in the arena."

"I plan to."

...

When Hiccup reached the docks, crowds of people had formed to either say goodbyes or set off to sea. She zig-zagged her way to her father's ship, hoping he hadn't set sail earlier than the rest. He tended to do that.

She held her axe close, snaking her way around careful not to get into anybodys way.

From the far end of the pier, she spotted her father, she gave a sigh of relief. She hadn't missed her chance to say goodbye.

There were times when she wanted to tell him not to go off and leave her alone for periods of time. Some nights she'd wake to small sounds and bolt to the door hoping he had returned and never had to go again, but it was never that simple.

She jogged over to him, not wanting for this to be their last meeting.

She stopped when he turned over slightly, smiling and talking with Aarne.

Her heart fell to the ocean floor. Of all the people he smiled with, it was always most genuine when with Aarne. It was always like that.

She was just in the way. "Damn."

They shared in a strong handshake before going their separate ways.

Stoick turned to see Hiccup, waiting for him. He walked to her side, both not making eye contact.

An awkward pause set in for a while.

"I'll be back. Probably."

"And I'll be here. Maybe."

...

With one final sack to load, Gobber viewed Stoick and Aarne conversing before spotting Hiccup, sadness and pain in her eyes.

With the two men now off to their own businesses, Stoick and Hiccup stand side by side, the air tense between them.

He gave an exasperation as he tossed the sack to a crewmen taken off guard by the action before falling into the waters.

He made his way towards them, silence between the two. He shook his head and palmed his face. They were so stubborn; it prevented them from saying what was on their mind to each other. He gave a helping hand...

"Hiccup would like to say that she'd miss you. And she wishes that you'll find that Thor-forsaken dragons' nest, so you can stop taking out your frustrations on everyone, namely poor Gobber."

Hiccup simply nods, eyes planted to the wooden planks.

Gobber rubbed his face in frustration.

''Stoick wants to tell you he'll be thinking of you the whole time, so train hard, don't throw a house party, and he'll do his best not to be eaten by a sea serpent or a dragon. But if he does, well you know, that's that."

"We're Vikings. It's an occupational hazard," Stoick dryly remarked.

"We're Vikings. It's an occupational hazard," Gobber repeated to Hiccup.

"I said that part." Irritated, Stoick marched to his vessel, boarding it with so little as a glance to Hiccup. Her expression low and blank.

"Oh, sorry for helping!"

"I want her back with all limbs intact," pointing a finger to Gobber. Stoick more so threatened rather than requested.

"Set sail!"

With that, the ships' lifted their anchors and pressed forward into the unknown.

After a while everyone went off to the island to go about their day, leaving Hiccup where she was staring out to her father's ship.

"Come back soon," she then walked back to the village and slowly made her way to the arena to start her day.


	7. Chapter 7

_Hello again, and thank you for the wait. I do hope you enjoy the chapter, next one will be posted in 2 to 3 days time. Posted 4-28-2014. Thank you and please enjoy._

...

Hiccup walked slowly to the arena, small puddles of rainwater filmed the pathway of stone and wooden planks. She held her head low, wondering if her father would really be thinking about her during the voyage and not Aarne who was a shoe in to rank highest in dragon training.

Behind her, the loud splashes of water and wood stomping caused Hiccup to turn around.

''Gustav?'' her brows crooked as she tilted her head slightly. ''What are you doing here?"

''What does it look like, I'm here for training," he sported a winning smile, a heavy sword tailing behind him.

He looked so determined, ready for anything; just like a true Viking.

''Uh, I don't mean to pry, but aren't you a bit young for dragon training?''

''I'm almost an adult!''

''You're nine.''

''Nine and a half!''

He lowered his head to the ground, ''I just wanna be like them, you know. Everyone treats me like a kid, if I show them I can fight, I won't be teased like...'' He paused but she knew who he meant; she didn't blame him for it.

She thought back to herself at his age. If there had been someone to encouraging her, like her mother used to, she might have grown into someone different, more Viking. Maybe all he needed was a little encouragement of his own.

She bent down to his level, both staring into each others' eyes, ''Why don't we go in together?''

Gustav beamed before trailing ahead of her making their way to the arena.

...

''Welcome to Dragon Training!" Gobber opened the heavy gate, revealing the arena before them. The stone floor slightly damp with moisture.

"No turning back,'' Aarne was the first to enter. He swept his long bangs away from his eye to get a full prospective of the arena.

Stone walls and floors clawed and beaten down over the centuries of battles and sport. They all gawked in awe as the chain ceiling revealed the clouded grey sky above. This was what they had waited for their whole lives.

''I hope I get some serious burns!'' Tuffnut grinned.

''I'm hoping for some mauling, like, on my shoulder or lower back,'' Ruffnut spoke casually as she loosened her arms up.

Aarne swaggered further into the ring, ''Yeah, it's only fun if you get a scar out of it.''

''Yeah, no kidding right?'' they all turned to see Hiccup enter the gate, Gustav behind her. ''Pain love it...'' she rolled her eyes and held a tone of irony.

''Yeah, let's kill some dragons!'' Gustav hopped eagerly.

''Oh great who let them in,'' groaned Tuffnut.

''I can do this guys. Maybe I can even take down the Night Fury!''

The thought ran through her mind, unknown to everyone, she had taken the beast down and grounded it for good. Guilt flooded her mind once more.

The other teens snickered at Gustav's words before Gobber hushed them, ''Larson, go home, now.''

He turned to the recruits, ''Let's get started! The recruit who does best, will win the honor of killing his first dragon in front of the entire village''. He made a turning motion with his hooked prosthetic as he walked towards Hiccup.

''Gustav already thinks he can kill a Night Fury so does that disqualify him, or...?'' The twins exploded into laughter at Snotlouts' remark.

''Can I transfer to the class with the cool Vikings?'' they walked off to the center of the ring leaving Hiccup and Gustav at the entrance. She looked over to him, his shoulder slumped and his posture limp. She placed a supportive hand over his shoulder and bent down to his level.

"It's alright, Gustav, maybe next year you can join Dragon Training. And for what it's worth, I think you can take one down.''

Hiccup tended to be the only person to reassure him and give him hope for the future. He admired that about her and wished others could see her caring qualities like he did, ''Thanks Hiccup, bye.''

With that, he made his way out the entrance and back home. She gave a sorrowful sigh, as much as she wanted him to go she didn't want to stay there herself.

''He'll be fine, Hiccup. Just worry about yerself here," Gobber placed his arm over her shoulder, guiding her to the others.

''That's what I'm worried about.''

''Don't worry. You're small and you're weak, that'll make you less of a target. They'll see you as sick or insane and go after the more Viking like teens instead, ha-ha,'' he gave her a wide grin before patting her shoulder and releasing her near Fishlegs.

He marched forward to the many steel doors on the stone walls, each producing the loud cries of several feral dragons.

''Behind these doors are just a few of the many species you will learn to fight!'' he introduced as he walked past their doors.

''The Deadly Nadder."

"Speed: 8, Armor: 16.''

''The Hideous Zippleback.''

''Plus 11 Stealth times 2.''

Fishlegs was providing statistics of the various dragons, excitement growing in his voice.

''The Monstrous Nightmare.''

''Firepower: 15."

''The Terrible Terror.''

''Attack: 8, Venom: 12!''

''Can you stop that!'' he rolled his eyes before reaching the last door, placing his hand over a lever connected to a large pull log system which kept the door shut.

''And...the Gronckle,'' he grinned widely.

''Jaw Strength: 8,'' Fishlegs whispered into Hiccup's ear.

''Whoa whoa, wait, aren't you gonna teach us first?!'' Snotlout questioned loudly.

''I believe in 'learning on the job'.''

Saying so, he pulled the lever which slowly lifted the log from the doorway. Out bursted the Gronckle as it gave a hearty snarl examining the arena before buzzing straight into the field of the teens.

''Today is about survival. If you get blasted, you're dead.''

With a large crash, the Gronckle's tough body collides with the stone wall and fell to the ground. Besides it are grey rocks which, with a hasty action devours one like candy.

Noticing this Hiccup's mind traces back to the Night Fury, wondering if it managed to eat anything as well as an observation on the Gronckle.

_If a Gronckle eats rocks, why does it bother raiding the sheep and other livestock?_

From the far side of the ring, Gobber calls out to the scattered teens, ''Quick, what's the first thing you're gonna need!?''

''A doctor?'' Hiccup asked still focused on the Gronckle's actions.

''Plus 5 Speed?'' Fishlegs attempting to answer.

With a confident stance, Aarne motions himself toward a disk on the ground. ''A shield.''

''Shield! Go!"

The teens branch out in search for shields, all with decorative patterns and designs on the front side.

"Your most important piece of equipment is your shield! If you must make a choice between a sword or a shield,'' noticing Hiccup struggling to fasten and lift the shield to her forearm, Gobber gives her a quick hand before pushing her back into the action, ''take the shield!''

From the center of the arena, the twins argue and fight over a single shield designed with a skull and orange fire, ''Get your hands off my shield!''

''There's ,like, a million shields!''

''Take that one, it has a flower on it, girls like flowers,'' as he commented he glanced over at Hiccup a slight twitch to his brow. Taking notice of his gawking, Ruffnut managed to yank the shield away before bonking him in the head roughly. ''Aowh!''

''Oops, now this one has blood on it.''

Still going back and forth with the shield, the twins fail to notice the Gronckle heading straight for them igniting a fireball, destroying the shield at hand. The impact causes both to fall flat on the damp stone, slightly in a daze.

''Tuffnut, Ruffnut, you're out!''

''What?'' both heads still spinning, they clumsily rose to their feet before marching to the far side of the ring.

''Those shields are good for another thing: noise! Make lots of it to throw off a dragons aim!''

The teens began banging their axes and hammers and maces to the side and centers of the shields lined with metal, vibrating into the Gronckle's vision confusing it as it views blurred images of the young Vikings before it.

''All dragons have a limited number of shots; how many does a Gronckle have?''

Running in circles, Snotlout questioningly answered, ''Five?''

''No, six!'' Fishlegs eagerly rose his shielded arm which make him a visible target for the Gronckle who set the lava in its belly into a chunk of burning mess.

''Correct six, that's one for each of you!''

''I really don't, AAAHHH!'' distracted, his shield burst into flames. With it gone he began running, screaming as his hands flew to the air.

''Fishlegs, out.''

Hiccup not wanting to take action in the activity, hid behind a fort wall make of wooden planks and metal bands before Gobber shouted to her site which the Gronckle followed suit with its third shot, ''Hiccup, get in there!''

''Gahhh!'' the hot mess of molten lava flew near her head. She ducked and cowered behind the fort again before the Gronckle trailed off to the other teens.

Whiffing the damp air, the Gronckle picked up on the faint traces of sweet grass and began its search for the source.

''So anyways, I'm moving into my parent's basement. You should come by sometime to workout,'' Snotlout conversing with Aarne, who had his focus on the beast, cartwheels away from the mouth of the fire breather leaving his 'friend' as and open target, ''you look like you workout.''

His shield ignited and the force pushed him back several feet knocking him to the floor, ''AAAAHHHH!''

''Snotlout, you're done!''

Aarne's reverse tumble lead him right besides Hiccup whose eyes were firmly on the beast heading in their direction. He took the opportunity to say what had been on his mind, '' I saw what you did yesterday."

"What?!'' Her eyes widened as she turned to face him. He knew. He knew about the Night Fury and the shame she had brought to her family. What now? Was this an attempt to extort her? Or did he already tell her father which would explain his coldness when he left to sea?

_This can't be happening!_

With the Gronckle readying its fifth shot, Aarne ran past Hiccup; her still in a state of panic and confusion barely noticed until the shield was blasted out of her arm. Her mother's axe split in two by the wooden handle.

Coming back to, she rushed to the rolling shield and axe pieces, _Oh no, mom's axe!_ Her motions releasing the scent of sweet grass. The aroma located, the Gronckle dove a bee-line straight for Hiccup, ignoring Aarne as he hurried away.

''One shot left!''

With its sights set on Hiccup, the Gronckle cornered her to the wall where she turned face to face with the giant dragon.

''HICCUP!''

Her body slide to the ground as the Gronckle took large whiffs of her body. One smell however, the odor of wildflowers still lingering on her caused the Gronckle to wriggle its snout wildly. Noticing this Hiccup kept still, too frightened and observing to move a muscle.

The bright lights in its jaw danced, causing Hiccup to cower, eyes closed awaiting her demise for the second time by a dragon.

Before the Gronckle could release its fire, Gobber's metal hook grabbed the toothy jaw and yanked it from Hiccup's form. Its sneeze barely missed her head, hot black marks scorching the stone wall.

''And that's, six,'' Gobber growled dragging the dragon by the mouth, it pulling hardly to escape. ''Go back to bed ye overgrown sausage!''

He roughly tosses the Gronckle back into its cage and lowered the log, securing it.

''You'll get another chance, don't you worry.''

The teens all appeared exhausted and out of breath, all except Aarne who stands firmly, eyes on Hiccup as she curls out of her fetal form.

''Remember, a dragon will always, always go for the kill. Lesson over, we'll meet at the Great Hall for an overview,'' Gobber marched to Hiccup and lifts her up, patting the dust from her clothing then walks over to the others leaving her to examine the black marking on the wall.

_Not always. The Night Fury let me go. And the Gronckle seemed to be sniffing me, and then sneezed like it had and allergy to something on me. But what?_ She was torn from her curiosity and her teachings of dragons. They conflicted, but why?

Without staying, Hiccup felt the urge to test out a theory. She ran off unnoticed by the others, grabbed her now blown axe and made her way back home.

...

Aarne felt bothered by what he had said. She probably felt he had mocked her for helping Gustav or maybe feared he'd tell the others. He hadn't meant any of that. He had to explain to her before the situation got out of hand. He marched towards Hiccup before being bombarded by the others blocking his path.

''That was amazing Aarne! The way you distracted Hiccup to take the shot, man that was awesome!'' Snotlout laughed not realizing he had fallen for the same scenario.

Aarne shoved him to the side, ''What are you talking about?''

''How you said whatever you said to her, she literally froze, you just ran by and 'BAM!' Aarne infinite, Hiccup zero,'' Tuffnut took a fist to his open hand while stating this.

''Yeah, way to use your teammates as a human shield, Aarne,'' Ruffnut stated in a slightly condescending tone.

_Crap, she probably thinks I set her up to take a dive! Idiot, of all the times to say anything it had to be then!_ Aarne mentally beat himself for acting like a complete jerk.

''No, Aarne used a valuable resource, and he passed the lesson. He survived. He used the things around him to achieve that, good job, lad,'' Gobber gave him a hardy punch to his shoulder. He knew it had two meanings to it. One: for doing a good job. Two: for putting Hiccup in the line of fire.

If he felt like a jerk before, now he felt like an asshole.

'_I really fucked things up today._'

He pushed the teens aside trying to make it to Hiccup and apologize if he still had the chance to. Unfortunately for him, she had already vanished.

_Great, first day to keep an eye on her and I let her disappear. Why does Stoick even trust me anyways?_

With the class dismissed they made their way out of the arena.

''Remember, we met at the Great Hall for an overview of your performances today.''

...

Home again, Hiccup make her way up the stairs as she began to proceed to the tub, laying her axe and helmet on the nearby desk in her room. The water wasn't as warm due to the lack of direct sunlight, but tolerable enough for a calming soak.

She ran by what she had gathered about the day. At the cove, the Night Fury didn't seem so threatening; rather it appeared wary of her presence. The Gronckle, while shooting at them, didn't attempt to kill her when it got close, rather it seemed allergic to her or whatever scent was on her. She only had so much information but so much more questions without concrete answers.

Finishing her bath, she dressed herself in her common wardrobe, put her satchel back on and slowly made her way down the steps.

She looked to the wall decorated with shields and various weapons. _Your most important piece of equipment is your shield!_ She remembered her lesson from earlier and gazed upon one with a blue and red sea serpent on a white background, a pair of spears over it. She took a huge gulp and removed it from the wall, carefully placing the spears to the side making her way out the front door.

...

Out in the village square, she visited the local fisherman and purchased a large Icelandic cod, earning her a few odd looks but nothing to question her actions.

Aarne had been searching for her a while now. He spotted her with a shield and a fish at hand. Before he could reach her, he felt a strong tug to his shoulder, ''And where are you off to?'' Gobber was sharp on Aarne's trail after the incident.

"I was on my way to apologize to Hiccup for earlier, I didn't mean to put her in harms way."

"Listen, I know you feel bad about it, but you can't snake after her like a...snake. You have to approach her gently. Act too aggressively and you'll frighten her, if you walk to her slowly and patiently then you'll earn her trust. Talk to her in the Hall tonight, apologize then, alright?"

Gobber had a fair point; he tended to get near her with a militant aura which either put her into submissive mode or a state of inertia. He needed to change his approach.

"Fine," Aarne looked back to where she was. She managed to disappear yet again.

...

Hiccup was back in Raven's Point, where she had first found the dragon. She looked down to the bola, cut up into separate pieces. She lowered the fish and grabbed the rounded stone end in her palm. Its weight dipped her hand slightly recollecting the events that the earth hide, _Remember, a dragon will always, always go for the kill._

"So why didn't you?"

Letting the stone down and retrieving the fish, she made her way past trees and shrubs till she finally reached the cove.

Making her way towards the entrance she ducked under the shield sneaking little looks to see if the coast was clear. Feeling it was safe she lunged the fish into the cove, a lousy toss that sent it a few feet from her current location.

...

The Night Fury had perched himself on a tall rock formation, bored. He had managed a few cabbages and kale leaves before he began to crave the taste of fish.

The strange human girl would pop into his head now and then. Even if she hadn't of allowed him, he would have taken some of the vegetables to eat begrudgingly. But the thought that she had given him permission to do so seemed queer to him. She didn't have to, but she did anyway. Here he was, the enemy and she was giving him food to survive.

The sky had cleared and the sun shined upon the cove warming his body to a comfortable state. From the corner of the cove where the entrance was, he heard a loud smack to the ground. He crouched down closer to the rock and spotted the human girl trying to get a shield past the entrance with fail till she lowered herself down and entered quietly.

She scooped up whatever was on the ground, a fish. His ears prompt up. Had she gone out of her way to provide him with a proper meal or was it a trap? He waited until she stepped further into the cove and closer to him.

He faced his ears and scales behind keeping silent as she moved close. Feeling she was within range, he lowered himself from the rocks. She turned and took notice of his actions giving a small gasp as he climbed down to the floor below, prowling his way to the side lowly like a wild jungle cat.

Sniffing the air he knew it was definitely her, she smelt sweet and looked as he remembered.

She seemed timid but held her ground as she extended the fish to him as an offering. He inhaled the flavor of the catch, he was defiantly hungry as he slowly inched his way towards it.

He was close to it, revealing his gummy mouth while giving a slight purr of approval till the scent of metal crossed his nostrils. She held a weapon.

He backed off and gave an aggressive growl, the action causing her to retrieve the fish back, staring at him for a moment. As if she understood his reasons she opened her satchel to reveal a tiny dagger, the same one she was going to kill him with but instead allowed him a second chance. With it in her fingertips, she extended her hand as far as she could and let it fall to the ground.

_Kick it away,_ he motioned his head to verify the command which she complied with by lifting it with her foot and tossing it into the pool of water with a decent splash.

With it gone, he relaxed a bit taking a seating position. She wasn't dangerous but he wasn't going to take a chance with her carrying a weapon. This way he was in charge. He twitched his ear to the side slightly.

Weapon gone, she re-extended the fish to him. He gave a low groan as he slinked his way towards her, his spine rising and falling like a nimble panther.

He opened his mouth to take the meal, eyeing it and her closely, "Huh, toothless? I could have sworn you had..." With her distracted he retracted his fangs and snatched the fish from her small palms and devouring it in two bites, licking his chops in satisfaction.

"Teeth," she said shyly, her arms were curled to her body, motionless.

He lapped his jowl once more before advancing to her for more to which she responded by stepping backwards, tripping and backing her way to a rock. ''Uh, uh, no-no, no."

She was cornered with no place to run off to. He bridged the gap between them and interrogated her for more food. ''I don't have anymore," she was leaning as far as she could softly confessing.

He mooned her green eyes, here she was allowing him to live, feeding him, not telling the others of his state and location and all he was doing as demanding more. Some remorse permeated his mind. He did allow her to live, maybe he needed to even out the odds and show his slight appreciation for her assistance.

He began to gag, the sound of something coming back from his insides echoed throughout the cove before he spat back the tail-piece of the fish he had greedily ingested moments ago.

...

"Uh," Hiccup grimaced at the piece of previously fed fish seated on her lap.

The dragon leaned backwards and laid itself in a seating position like a human would to a chair, gazing at her. She took several deep breaths before repositioning herself comfortably taking the fish into her palms once more. They ensued on another staring match doing nothing but breathing and exchanging eye contact. The dragon then eyed the fish then reconnected its eyes to hers.

She followed suit before her eyes widened to its.

_It wants me to eat this, doesn't it?_ She stared at the dead creature in her palms. It'd been years since she'd eaten a fish and never had she had one raw and previously in the stomach of a dragon. '_If I want this thing to trust me, I have to show it I'm it's equal and if taking a bite out of this fish formerly ingested by it does the trick,_' she groaned, '_so be it_.''

She trailed her eyes back to the Night Fury and brought the fish to her mouth opening it and giving an 'Ah' sound before taking a fair bite out of the fish carcass. It held a notable crunch in her mouth and the flavor was sour and fishy. She desperately wanted to spit it out, a trail of saliva connecting her lips and the fish together. Pulling back she gave a hearty 'mmm', hoping the action alone would mend everything.

The dragon lifted his ears in approval and gave a comforting noise.

She nodded to it that it was all fine and dandy expecting it to leave her be.

Instead, it produced a loud gulping sound.

She lowered the fish unpleased; she regretted taking such a big bite. Mustering her courage, she held the urge to vomit and swallowed the fish whole, feeling as it slide down her throat and fall into the pit of her stomach. Her body violently shivered with disgust from the sensation.

The dragon make a cute little lapping movement with its tongue in approval of her efforts. She gave it a sweet smile, the feeling in her stomach churning.

It shot her a confusing glance tilting its head to her actions. She was smiling at it, a gesture the Night Fury wasn't accustom to. It tried to mimic her gesture, its gummy mouth forming the shape of a smile with some difficulty.

Hiccup took notice of the action and presented it with the remainder of the fish which it happily took back, savoring it slowly this time.

With the dragon distracted with food, she made her way to its tail to gather some measurements.

...

He wasn't too sure why she had hesitated to eat the fish. It was considered an honor to receive a meal from a Night Fury, but nevertheless she swallowed it fully. The smile she had given him was baffling to say the least. She looked genuinely happy which made his gesture seem all the more meaningful, so he tried to regard the feeling earning him the rest of the fish which he took openly.

He was lost in the flavor of the meal before he felt the soft warmth of something by his tail. He wriggled it a bit and realized the sensation was foreign; he turned his head to see the human by his tail. It was one thing to present him a meal but another to touch him. Unsatisfied by her actions he swung his tail at her, sending her flying into the air and into the waters.

_That'll teach ya._

He waited a while for her to resurface but she never did. He made his way closer to the waterbed and saw the small air bubbles forming on the surface of the water.

She was drowning.

What should he do, save her or allow her to drown? She had brought him food but she did touch his tail. She let him live, he did so as well. He felt pretty even with himself and turned to walk away.

The image of her smile shot him in the heart. What was it about that smile that warmed him from the inside?

_Damn!_ Without a second thought, he dove in after her.

...

All she remembered was being by the Night Fury's tail, the next thing she knew she was sinking to the bottom of the pond. She tried to flail her arms and legs but it was of no use.

She couldn't swim.

Of course living on an island completely surrounded by bodies of water made her an excellent swimmer. No, she never learned. No one ever bothered to teach her to swim and the few times she attempted by herself she near drowned without fail.

She gave up trying, if she died, she didn't want to go tired. She relaxed and let the cool water blanket her body.

Well, if she died, she wouldn't have to worry about dragon training or disappointing her father anymore. She probably wouldn't be missed. The last one to see her alive would have been the dragon, which she felt wasn't so bad.

It allowed her to feed it and fed her in a weird fish-eating kind of way.

The situation was a lot like the previous one with the Night Fury, she just let it all go, death wasn't a scary thing, it happened to everything. She would embrace it with no malic in her heart.

She released her last breath as she reached the bottom of the water, waiting for the blue to drown out the pain.

A strong tug pulled her by the waist and lifted her up to shore. Her body limp and lifeless. A firm pressure to her abdomen caused her to release the liquid trapped in her lungs. She coughed hard, her throat sore before opening her eyes to those of the Night Fury.

It had saved her life.

It had its body hovering over hers. She lifted herself by the elbows. ''You, you saved my life. Thank you," she said, a smile on her face.

The dragon shot her a confused look, not expecting any form of gratitude considering it had caused her near death.

She looked at it as the light from the sun haloed its figure.

"The Hall!" she lifted herself up and shock the excess water from her body. She made her way to the entrance leaving the dragon staring at her confusingly. "I'll be back tomorrow with more fish, thank you again!" with that she ducked under the shield and ran back to the village.

...

He hadn't expected any indebtedness. When she had stated he saved her life, he thought, _Yeah, I did and not even a..._

Before we could finish his thought she thanked him and left promising more food.

_What is with that girl?_ he stepped forward and heard the crack of something under his foot. Lifting it he noticed a small red tinged seashell spit in two down the middle.

_Must of picked this up when the girl was drowning._ He paid no mind to it till he realized it was his fault she almost died. He owed her and he hated it, he couldn't shake her off of him. He looked at the pieces of shell before him, _Maybe I could give her this?_

He moved it away from the bank and set them near the rock where she had tripped over.

She did promise him food and was grateful for him saving her, he lowered himself lying on the earth. _She's not so bad, for a runt._

He closed his eyes before a droplet of water fell on his snout. The rains fell again.

...

When Hiccup reached the Great Hall; it was dark, cold and she was soaked to the bone. She felt it was a good thing as she didn't have to explain why she was soaked to begin with. She opened the large door and could hear the sound of Gobber's voice, "Alright, where did Aarne go wrong in the ring today?"

"I mistimed my somersault dive, it was sloppy. It threw off my reverse tumble."

Ruffnut replied apathetically, "Yeah, we noticed."

"No no, you were great! That was so Aarne," Snotlout defended earning rolled eyes from everyone on the table where they were seated.

"He's right. You have to be tough on yourselves."

They all glanced over to Hiccup soaking wet and walking over to the table. Snotlout patted the seat next to him, "Saved you a seat and a plate, baby."

She nearly gagged at the thought of eating anything meat related again and sitting next to Snotlout. She continued her march to the next table over where nobody sat.

"Where did Hiccup go wrong?" Gobber asked.

"Uh, she showed up."

"She didn't get eaten," the twins remarked.

Aarne was irritated with their behavior but felt he needed to say his part as well. "She's never where she should be."

"Thank you, Aarne," Gobber said before giving the twins a firm slap to the back of their heads. "You need to live and breathe this stuff."

He pulled out an old book with a dragon symbol carved into its' leather cover, "The Dragon Manual." He pushed several plates and tankards off the table to make room for the hardcover book, dropping it with a bang.

"Everything we know about every dragon we know of," a loud bellowing thunder roared outside causing Gobber to raise his head. "Huh, no attacks tonight, study up", he said before making his way out of the hall.

"Wait you mean read?" Tuffnut questioned, dropping the dagger he was fiddling with.

"While we're still alive?!" Ruffnut continued.

"Why read words when you can just kill the stuff the words tell you stuff about?" Snotlout banged his fist against the table causing a half-eaten chicken wing to bounce in the air.

"Oh, I've read it like, seven times. There's this water dragon that sprays boiling water at your face, and-and there's this other one that buries itself for like a week..." Fishlegs was rambling excitingly while the others gave him odd looks.

Tuffnut motioned his hand in a shutting gesture, "Yeah, that sounds great. Uh, there was a chance I was gonna read that..."

"...but now." Ruffnut finished.

"You guys read, I'll go kill stuff," Snotlout rose with the others following. Fishlegs still spilling information while the twins bicker and fought leaving Aarne and Hiccup the only teens left in the hall.

Hiccup slowly rose to the table where Aarne and the others were. She eyed the book, wondering what mysteries and secrets it held about dragons. Maybe it had information on the Night Fury and how they flew.

"So, I guess we'll share?'' she approached him shaking from the cold of being damp.

Aarne looked at her shivering form. She looked frightened, like the thought of being near him scared her. _She's probably still shaken up by what happened today._

As much as he'd like to be near her and bond, he wanted her in a state of calmness, not fear. He shoved the book closer to her stoically, "Read it."

She stared at the book and placed her hand over the hardcover, tracing her fingers along the grooves of the dragon image.

"About what I said today in the arena," Aarne started as he made his way out the hall. "I saw you helping Gustav the other day."

She felt slightly relieved that was what he had meant.

"Uh, yeah, you know... he doesn't deserve to be treated that way. It's not right."

Aarne's eyes slightly widened, she cared so much for others she barely even took the time to care for herself, it was an admirable quality. "I won't tell anyone, I promise."

She shot him a blank stare before beaming a little, "Thank you."

He contemplated staying but went against the idea, he was in a good spot right now with her. He'd mark this one down as a win. His heart beating just a bit faster, he left her to her own accord.

...

With the storm brewing outside people started leaving, turning the torches off and exiting the building, leaving Hiccup alone in the dark. She was slightly frightened trying to find a candle and hot coal nearby to light it for reading light.

When she found both she made her way back to the table. She had never been in the Great Hall so late and never with the lights completely out, she felt alone trapped in darkness.

She located a second candle and lit it for better illumination before seating on the table, book facing her. She proceeded to open it to the first page, "Dragon Classifications..."

She began reading aloud the words printed on the brittle pages, illustrations of dragons killing Vikings and vis versa. Some pages were more graphic than others based on the information on certain dragons. There were even several nearly illegible due to the copious amounts of blood smeared on the print and images, she just wasn't sure if it belonged to humans or dragons.

The loud storm outside created an ominous atmosphere in the hall which seemed to enclose on her with every page she turned and word she read. Dragons who choked their victims to death or boiled them alive with scolding hot water, even one that turned the victim's body inside out slowly watching them die a gruesome, torturous death. She was becoming increasingly frightened by the content in the book even more when a loud gust of air slammed the heavy door to the hall open, rain and thunder dancing as if the Gods were at war.

Her breathing became ragged and her body shivered with both cold and terror. Hiccup made it to the page she was looking for, _"Night Fury."_

_"Speed: Unknown."_

_"Size: Unknown."_

_"The unholy offspring of lightning and death itself. Never engage this dragon. Your only chance, hide and pray is does not find you."_

The words stuck in her head like a dagger, this was the dragon in the cove. The one who saved her life and allowed her to live, it even fed her. Could the information in the book, be wrong? Misguided? Or were they the truth and the dragons were the actual demons her people made them out to be?

She took her sketchbook and pencil out of her satchel, the papers slightly damp but the images still intact. Locating the rendering of the Night Fury, she proceeded to reimage the fin at the end of the tail.

Even though she was scared and confused about things she knew that dragon couldn't survive without flying. If winter hit and it was still there, the pond would freeze and it'd have to rely on her for survival or die from the weather conditions.

She couldn't allow that, not after it saved her life.

She blew away at the candles and took the book, sketchbook and pencil and placed them in her satchel before exiting the Great Hall into the storm.

...

With the winds violently blowing she ran as fast as she could to the forge, where she found a tinder box and with slight struggle lit the fire pit and a few candles closing as many doors as she could to prevent them from extinguishing.

Taking a large piece of paper she designed a fin from the measurements she had taken earlier, with metal rods as bones, turner levers as joints and spherical rounds with holders to act as connective tissue, and leather would replace the skin. With the design finalized she got to work.

She located an old damaged sword thrown into the junk pile and threw it over the hot coals, allowing the metal to glow bright red before taking it out and reshaping it into a rod then repeating the process over again. Once weapons used to kill dragons will breathe new life as it makes one fly again.

She took the nails from an old worn shield and tossed them into the fire waiting for them to burn crimson with heat then molding them into perfect spheres and several holding rings with a hammer. She weighted them, arranged them together and set them aside. Shields formerly the protection of man, wound now bond the dragon to its new fin.

A large dull axe she heated to become the turner levers.

She connected the rods to the levers and fastened the holders, turning it to test the fluidity of the device before connecting all the pieces together and fastening then with bolts and screws.

Hiccup walked into her study where she kept several gauges of leather, taking a large tan one, light but sturdy. She sewed the ends for a seamless look and stitched the garment with pockets to connect the bones and skin together to the fin.

Thoughtout the making of the fin, she never realized her body was shivering and wobbling. She simply pressed on until the job as complete. Looking over her handy work, she marveled at the piece before her. It was near lifelike, she just hoped it would fit and work.

Feeling drained, Hiccup killed the lights and the fire pit before taking the drawing and the fin to her study where she kept a blanket and furs to act as a bed whenever she worked on overnight projects in the forge. Her eyes felt heavy and her head was throbbing along with her heartbeat. She felt cold from the inside but her body was burning up. Hiccup shut her eyes as the loud rainstorm and thunder lulled her to sleep.


	8. Chapter 8

_Hello, and thank you for the wait, I hope you're enjoying the story. Thank you all for the constructive criticism, it really helps me out and I've polished the last few chapters a bit, so hopefully it's a much more enjoyable read. If you have any questions or concerns don't hesitate to ask. Next chapter will be posted in 2-3 day's time. This chapter posted 5-1-2014. Thank you all and please enjoy. _

_..._

The ships rocked up and down during the harsh storm. Stoick had to have the anchors dropped and the sails tied. He couldn't afford a night lost in search of the dragons but he couldn't risk the safety of his crew either. They waited the storm near a small island of stone.

Below deck, his crew made themselves comfortable with a small fire and passed around bread and cheese. All was quiet until Spitelout began conversation, "You know, I'm sure my boy will get the honor of killing his first dragon. He's a tough one that he is."

"Please, your son, I think my twins have a better shot at the win over your lad," Mrs. Thorston remarked taking a large bite from her bread.

Spitelout gave an amused chuckle, "The twins couldn't find their way out of an empty room, let alone take first in the arena."

"Let's be realistic here, if there is anyone taking the honor, it's Hofferson," one of the crewmen commented.

They all gave a nod of approval, "Right, I suppose Stoick's lad will take the victory."

Stoick gave a questionable glance to his crew, Aarne wasn't his 'lad' but he saw how they could say that. He practically molded him to be the best. Years of hand-to-hand combat and weapons training, if people hadn't known better they would have guessed he was his son. This proved to him what a lousy father he was to his own child, Hiccup.

"He's not my 'lad'. All the young ones will do their best to defend our village, it doesn't matter who places first or not. At the end of the day, we'll have more able Vikings to fight the cause," Stoick watched as the fire danced intricate mixtures of red and yellow.

"You're lucky, Stoick," Mrs. Thorston began, "you've got a child who can actually read and smiths like a master. If I had two of her instead of the twins, the house would be less of a disaster zone."

"Must be nice having a daughter worth her weight in gold. She's smart, a good cook, organized and she makes pretty much all the weapons and tools we use on a regular basis," one man said taking a swig of mead from his mug.

"You know, Stoick, my boy would make an excellent husband for Hiccup," Spitelout puffed up his chest. "He's a Jorgenson, best there is."

"My bet is on Aarne, the young man's perfect for her. With his strength and her brains they'd have the greatest Viking that could walk the earth. I'm sure you've thought about it too Stoick."

He mused over the idea for a while. The thought of marrying off his daughter was an inevitable fact. There wasn't a large variety of eligible bachelors her age in the village. Snotlout was too arrogant and self-centered. Fishlegs lacked fire in his soul. Tuffnut, well he wasn't the sharpest arrow in the quiver. But Aarne, Aarne was the epitome of what a Viking should be. He was tough, headstrong, and at the ready to defend.

At the end, he only wanted the best for Hiccup. He didn't want to treat her as a commodity to trade-off, she was his little girl and he wanted her to make that decision when the time was right. He knew she'd make the right choice.

"I think we should rest. At sign of first light, we set sail again." He killed the fire and they all went off to bed on the hard floor. Stoick wondered how Hiccup was doing in the arena. Was she faring well? He hoped so.

He closed his eyes and let the waves and rainfall rock him to sleep.

...

Gobber gave out a slow yawn, stretching out his old bones from bed. He had to get up early to start-up the maze for the next phase of dragon training. He wasn't too sure if most of them were even ready for the second class considering the majority failed to survive the last. All he could hope for was today brought better result because at the rate they were going, Berk would need more than new recruits to defend its shores.

He made his way down the stairs to the forge, all the doors and windows shut making the room look darker than it usually was. The fire pit while off still gave the faintest of heat signatures as he passed by and opened the window. The light was breaking into dawn, rain puddles splattered all around the plaza area. It was eerily silent, like a ghost town. He peered over the window onto the streets looking from side to side for any forms of life. He felt a hard tap to his skull. He gazed at a long wooden staff, embezzled with shells.

"Good morning to you too, Gothi. Fine day we're havin'.'" He rubbed his injury and looked at the elder, a blank expression on her face. She took the end of the staff and inscribed symbols on the soft soil, ancient text only a few could understand.

"Haha, good one! I'll need to remember that one for later! So, what can I do ya for?"

Sketching on the turf again, her ice blue eyes pieced Gobber as the markings were complete, "Oh, well in that case of course! Best keep a sharp eye, todays class is gonna be a doozy!"

Gothi gave a quick nod before heading off slowly.

With Gothi gone, Gobber made his way to open the front door when the sound of groaning captured his attention. He listened closely, following the noise to Hiccup's private study, the curtain covering it. "Hiccup?"

He drew the sheet and there, lying on the floor covered in several layers of furs, was Hiccup, curled into a tight ball shaking violently. He could barely see her face as the furs nearly engulfed her entire body, only leaving her brunette hair out in the open. Slowly he paced into the small room and bent over to her side. She sounded horrible, as if she was slowly being eaten from the inside. He gave her a firm tap and when she didn't respond, he shook her several times before she groaned in disapproval, stretching her body out from under the covers.

Her face, dusted with pink was covered in a thin-film of sweat and her eyes were watering small streams of tears. Her body felt worn and unbalanced, her vision hazy with her eardrums vibrating in a low humming tone. The clothes she had on were slightly dry but still lingered the feel of rain and sweat causing it to cling tightly to her body.

"Hiccup, are you feeling alright?" Gobber placed his palm to her forehead which as slightly warm. When he spoke it echoed multiple times before she managed to understand what he was saying.

"Huh, yeah, just a bit sore from yesterday. You know, the usual," she tried not to let the hoarseness of her voice escape not wanting to bother Gobber with her problems. She rubbed the sleep and tears from her eyes before convincing her body she needed to get up. Slowly she rose, a small dip in her footing but other than that she was good on her feet.

"You sure, you look a little sick?" He was using the word 'sick' lightly, she looked as if she was on the verge of death. He had never seen her this ill before. Sure, she would occasionally be riddled with colds, but this was different. She was nauseated.

"Sick? No, just a little cold. Nothing some fresh air can't fix up," she staggered to the table, heaving slowly. Her world was still spinning.

He watched as she pathetically tried to stay on her feet, her eyes unfocused and dazed. "Maybe you should sit out todays training, I want you in the arena at 100%."

She reached out for his arm as he was making his way out the room, "No, I have to go to training, I promised my dad. If he found out I sat out on a lesson because of a little cold, I'd never forgive myself. Please, Gobber, let me go. I need to show him I'm a Viking."

Her words pierced his heart. She didn't consider herself one of them. She was convinced she had to prove herself to her father even if it brought forth the death of her. Wanting to belong was more important to her than her own health. He had to admit, he admired her determination. But the thought of her in the ring like this troubled him. He took a deep sigh, "Alright, you can go, but I want you within eyes sight of me and stay out of the way."

He hated having to allow her to go but this was important to her. She may not want to kill dragons but she sure as heck wanting her father's love more than anything in the world. He wasn't going to stand in her way to achieve that dream.

She gave him a weak smile, "Thank you, Gobber, I will." She let his arm go and he made his way back into the forge and out to the arena to set up the lesson, leaving Hiccup alone in the study.

Still feeling in a state of vertigo, she managed to clear her mind a bit. She looked down at the fin she had made the night before. Gathering her thoughts, she scooped the prosthetic which seemed heavier than she remembered. Its weight pushing her back a few steps. Breathing heavily she regained her strength, "Come on Hiccup, get it together." She took an old extra-large leather document tube and to her luck, it held the fin perfectly.

With much effort she finally made her way out of the forge and to the plaza streets. Hiccup laid the strap of the tube on her shoulder before pacing her way to the fishing docks. Making her walk, the cool morning air had her shivering but she held it in trying to convince herself she was fine. She made it to the docks where she spotted some fishermen bringing in the daily catch.

"Mornin' Hiccup, fancy seeing you here so early", Mulch, the fisherman politely introduced.

"I didn't know this was a formal occasion?" his companion and fellow fisherman responded.

"No-no, it was an expression, Bucket."

"How was the catch today?" Hiccup asked stopping near the boat.

"Rather well actually," Mulch replied as he began to set the large baskets of fish on the docks. "Last night's storm really brought lots of the little fellas out, we even managed to catch an extra load." He pointed over to the side of the boat, a pile of fish of various sizes towered a few feet.

She took a look at one of the baskets and thought about the Night Fury at the cove. She had promised it more food after saving her life. Hiccup's mind trailed for a moment, _Is the Night Fury a girl or a boy?_ She wasn't too sure, she kept referring it as "it" or "Night Fury". She brushed the thought to the side as thinking caused her head to hurt.

"Do you think I could have a basket?"

They both shot her a look of confusion. "Well, sure Hiccup but why would you need a whole basket full of fish?", Mulch asked calmly.

She hadn't thought about it until just now. The Night Fury ate fish, but she didn't so of course it would seem strange if she wanted an entire basket full.

"Uh, well..." she tried to think of something fast as to not add more suspicion to the already odd situation, "you can never have enough pickled fish?"

"Mmm, pickled fish does sound good right about now," Bucket rubbed his stomach.

"It sure does, doesn't it. Here you go, Hiccup, one freshly caught basket of fish," Mulch handed her the basket. She wobbled slightly trying to balance it and her body. When she finally evened out, she pulled one strap of the basket to her free shoulder and made her way back to the village.

"Thanks, guys", she waved to them goodbye. Unknown to them her true intentions.

...

The walk to the cove seemed longer and more treacherous than any time before. She would stop every few meters to catch her breath or switch the basket strap over to a different shoulder otherwise her body would lean more to one side under its weight. Her vision would blur the colors of the trees together into one giant world of emeralds and taupes. Still she pressed forward, the sweat from her forehead burning her eyes as she blinked.

It took some effort, but she made it to the entrance of the cove. With the shield blocking her way in, she laid the basket to the ground and with nearly all her strength, pushed it under with her legs till it was far in enough for her to make her way in as well. Inside the cove, she returned the basket to her shoulder, slowly adventuring to the spot the Night Fury had saved her.

It had its back to the stone wall, still sound asleep. Its breathing steadily rising and dropping while making soft little chirps and purrs. "Hey...you," she wasn't too sure to call it "girl" or "guy" so for now "you" would have to make due. The Night Fury fidgeted till it rose its sleepy head turning to her and lifting its wings for a stretch.

"I brought breakfast," she lowered the basket. The weight pulling her down with it before she regained herself and straightened up and with one foot, lightly pressed it to its side revealing all the different fish. "I hope you're hungry."

The smell of seawater and fish made Hiccup's eyes water and her stomach churn violently. It didn't help that it produced a moist, slimy sound as it exited to the earth. With the lid to the basket closed, she hadn't smelt the contents but now with it out in the open, the stench had her back away a few steps, "Okay, that's disgusting."

The Night Fury prowled to the side marveling the buffet of fish before it. It hadn't expected her to arrive so early just to bring the promised food. It browsed at the contents deciding what to eat first. Slowly the dragon made its way towards the feast.

"Uh, got some salmon, some nice Icelandic cod," she kicked one closer to the pile, "and a whole Smoked eel."

It pressed its snout to the pile, the word 'eel' and the scent of its foul odor had it stiffen, growling at the slimy creature before it. Hiccup noticing the dragons aggression bent over to the pile and reached for the eel, lifting it to its height to gauge its response.

_Whoa! Are you trying to get me sick!_ it hissed in disapproval as the horrid thing was raised to his level.

"No-no no-no, no!" seeing its reaction, she flinged the eel to the waters of the pool where it sank out of sight. "Okay."

She wiped the slime from her hand onto the corner of her fur vest, "Yeah, I don't really like eel much either."

With the eel gone, the Night Fury focused on the fish before it once again, her standing there silently for a while till she finally spoke, a salmon between its teeth. "Um, I wanted to apologize for yesterday," it turned its head to her slightly, a hint of curiosity and bewilderment. "It was rude of me to invade your personal space and I'm sorry."

...

He let her words sink in for a moment, _She's apologizing? For touching my tail?_ He wasn't too sure how to react. Sure she did violate his bubble, but to him it was more about his pride rather than seeing her actions as impolite. _Is this girl some kind of saint or something?_

"I wanted to make it up to you and show my gratitude for you saving my life. May I please be allowed to approach your tail?" She tugged at the tube strap over her shoulder. It didn't seem like a lethal weapon and he was sure she wasn't stupid enough to bring one again. He mused over it before giving a single nod.

She walked over to his tail, unpacking whatever was in the tube. He continued on with his breakfast, thankful this meal was larger than the last. He peered over to the side observing her as she fidgeted with a large brown piece of fabric connected to metal rods. She laid it flat near his tail and when she pushed it forward towards him, he moved his tail to the side. Before she could catch him glancing at her, he turned and stuffed a cod into his mouth as if minding his own business.

Again she pushed it forward to him and he pulled his tail back. He found it slightly amusing to see her face go wide-eyed by his actions; it was like a little game to him. Wanting to test the waters, he lifted his tail up close to her face. She gave out a cute gasp leaning back a bit, "It's okay." She tried to calm him by lowering his tail down not realizing her actions only made the game more interesting. He swayed his tail side to side watching as she struggled to keep balance and pressed onto his tail to keep it still, applying her knee to add extra support. Entertained by her efforts he leaned forward, her body sliding to the ground as she released a groan of annoyance.

She lifted herself up and firmly sat on his tail, quickly strapping on the odd contraction to him. With her back to him, the game wasn't fun anymore as he couldn't see her reaction to his taunting. So with the game over he continued with his meal, scarfing down the sweet morsels one after another. He felt her lean onto his tail, adjusting the thing by the end of his good fin. Like yesterday, he gave a wriggle to the good one before realizing what she was up to.

_She made me a fin?_ his wings slumped to the ground, his expression dropping. He saved her life and to repay him she took the time to design him an artificial fin. He thought back to the previous day when she had touched his tail, _Was she trying to see what she needed to fix up?_ A shot of guilt came to mind, she was only trying to help him and he pushed her away. _Maybe there's more to this girl than meets the eye._

He let the excitement of flying again cloud his mind as he spread his wings out, her still marveling at her achievement, "Okay, it's not too bad, now just to see if it works."

Before she could consider it, he dove forward and took to the air, her body clinging to his tail from the shock of being pulled along. He flapped his wings strongly, her screaming hoarsely protesting that he let her down.

...

She could feel her head throbbing and her stomach bouncing around inside of her. She felt like vomiting but she could hardly force herself to think straight. During a moment of clarity, she saw that the fin was closed shut, the air pressure forcing it down. She heard the sound of the Night Fury's cry, it was falling back to the ground.

Heading straight for the hard earth, Hiccup began tugging at the fin, trying with all her might to release it. With every ounce of strength she had, it flipped open at the last possible second and with it open the Night Fury scooped itself towards the heavens at fast speeds with no restraint.

"Oh my, it's working, now please put me down!" She felt the cool air get to her and her body felt weak closing her eyes to the experience. She felt she couldn't possibly have the strength to hold on much longer as her hands and legs started to loosen around the dragon's tail.

...

The Night Fury, looked to his tail at the girl behind him, a clear grin on his face noticing her body clinging on to his being for dear life. She was beginning to lose her balance and was muttering silent pleas of mercy. As much as he loved being back in the air, the taste of freedom so close, he couldn't have her trailing behind him. He gave a grouchy huff before looping back down to the cove, a bit slower this time.

He landed softly, her body still wrapped around his tail. She looked frightened, a veil of sweat covering her entire body. He lowered his tail gently to the ground. When she came back to, she loosened herself completely and allowed her body to lay flat to the cool sweet dirt.

With her off, he proceeded to take off, only to glide back down to the earth. He turned to look at his new fin, the contraption closed and unmoved. He faced her from the far distance, she had regained slight composer and stared at his failed attempt to fly.

He watched as she brought her arm to the bottom of her chin, thinking profoundly before she let out a sudden burst of energy, "Muscle! Of course...bones and skin is needed but without muscle you can't move! You need more muscle, girl!"

He froze before glaring at her wildly and racing towards her. He gave a hearty growl of disapproval to her comment.

...

Hiccup panicked as she gazed upon the Night Fury coming after her. Too tired and fatigued to scramble away, she backed herself to a nearby boulder.

_Think Hiccup, think, what could you have possibly said to trigger her,_' she paused in thought and realized where she went wrong. The Night Fury hovering over her, a clear expression of irritation plastered onto its face.

"You're a boy?"

_What else would I be, a girl!_

Her mind jittered trying to think of something to say to calm him down, running on her last amount of reserved energy she could muster. "I-I mean, of course you're a male dragon. Such broad shoulders and muscular physique... I'm intimidated by your sheer amount of masculinity and power, ha-ha."

He stared at her for a while, allowing her attempt to soothe him take effect. He seemed to let it pass, calming his demeanor and backing away from her body. She let out a sigh of relief before hearing the awful sound of his gagging, proceeding to present her with yet another pre-eaten fish carcass. This time the head end.

She cringed at it, her stomach telling her not to even think about it, but she knew he wouldn't go away unless she took a bite. Taking a deep gulp, she raised the fish up, her arms and hand trembling with disgust. It felt like the fish was staring straight at her as she took a much smaller bite than the first. Her tongue pushed it away, not wanting anything to do with it as she could feel each hard scales brush against the roof of her mouth and the foul flavor glide inside. Hiccup's face turned blue from the lack of breathing and torture she was putting herself through in order to please a dragon.

She swallowed hard trying to force it down her throat only to have it trail down slowly, covering her esophagus with still warm raw fish and dragon spit. Her body curled into a tight ball, her stomach in so much pain. Tears began to stream down to the bottom of her face.

The Night Fury calmly witnessed her odd behavior, only when seeing the tears rolling down her face did he feel concern. He leaned in closely, _Hey, you alright?_

When Hiccup saw him move closer she panicked. She didn't want to get him sick from her cold or feel insulted by her strange behavior, "No, stay back! Please..." He did as asked, confusion riddled his face.

Taking deep breaths, Hiccup forced herself up, her arms around her waist. "I'm alright. I have to go now. I'll bring you back some more fish for later." The thought of fish made her dizzy as she wobbled her way to the basket and tube before walking to the exit feebly. He watched her leave, befuddled by what just went down. She tossed the empty basket over the shield, crawled under and disappeared.

His ears drooped, he was beginning to have a bit of fun with her, something he could have never dreamed a human and a dragon could do together. They were the enemy. One of the few creatures in the world who dared to challenge them, but here he was getting to know one. How vulnerable and frail they could be as well as kind and forgiving.

_Something was off about her today...I hope she's right and is fine. It'd be a shame if something happened to her before she fixes my fin,_ he tried to persuade himself he wasn't growing fond of her and scorched the ground in a circle before laying on top of it and taking a closer look at his new fin.

_She has to be alright._


	9. Chapter 9

...

Walking home, Hiccup could hardly handle the war occurring inside of her. Her head was pounding, her eyes watery and blurred, mouth dry, throat sore, her stomach twisting abnormally, her legs heavy and wobbly, her muscles quivering as if on ice but her skin on fire; overall she felt diseased.

Her breath vibrated from steady inhales and exhales to the chattering of teeth and ridged gasps for air. She was certain that at any moment she'd collapse and never awaken, lucky for her she managed to journey to the back door of the Haddock home entering with difficulty.

Inside, she dropped the empty basket and tube which felt heavier despite both containing nothing but weightless air. She leaned against the door, wheezing weakly, "Gotta get ready for training."

Struggling to prop herself forward, she reached out for the nearby cabinets, guiding her steps along the edge of the lower shelves, snailing her way to the staircase. Inching her way, a small basket of pears and figs caught her attention. Despite her insides in pain, she was starving for something to eat and reboot her energy. Taking a pear, she bit into the firm fresh fruit, savoring the mild sweetness and juice rehydrating her tongue and throat. She slowly managed two and three over-ripened figs, their soft flesh making it easy for her to chew and swallow.

She felt slightly energized, the pain in the pit of her stomach calming to a tolerable sting. With her body fueled a bit, she lifted herself before making her way up the stairs careful not to lose balance with each level adventured. When she set foot on the last step and onto the floor to her room, the clothing on her body was slowly removed before putting them in the laundry basket and her satchel placed on the desk.

Entering the bathroom, she emptied the day old bath water and started anew. With the water filling the tub, she added a few droplets of water mint oil to relax her body. Once the tub was filled and the minty aroma calmed her mind, she climbed into the tub and soaked for a while before submerging to wet her hair. Hair wet, she reached for the sweet grass cleanser and massaged it onto her scalp, massaging the rest on her body, clearing away all the sweat from her skin.

While bathing herself, she thought about the fin, _It fit perfect, but it didn't move on it's own. I'm gonna need to figure out how to mimic the movement of muscles before he gets anywhere..._ She touched her calve, flexing the muscles and observing how it would relax and tighten, "Is it the same for dragons?"

She hadn't read anything in the book about fins or wings, let alone the mechanics that went into a dragons flight. Only page after page of various ways to kill or be killed by them. She felt the authors of the book were looking at the dragons in one perspective while she was in another.

"I wonder who started it all?" She was curious as to the first to document them. Maybe she'd ask Gobber later as he did loan them the book. Which reminder her she still carried it with her in her satchel.

Submerging herself once more to wash away the cleanser, she rose and exited the tub more relaxed but still sick overall. She dried her body and hair, dressed, reclaimed her satchel and looked to the split axe on the desk. Grabbing the metal piece, she removed the splintered wooden handle and took it with her downstairs. Down the steps she rummaged over a pile of wooden handles she kept in case of weapon restoration, considering her father was known to go through them like candy. Finding a suitable size, she fitted the handle to the metal piece and tightened it together good as new.

Axe now restored, she made her way out the door to the arena, hoping her condition didn't hinder herself any further.

...

When Hiccup entered the arena, tall wooden walls mazed the grounds. The others were already there, marveling at the various pathways and ends tunneling the maze.

"Hope you all enjoy this lesson, cause it was a pain setting this up," Gobber called from behind them. He was leaning overhead, looking down on the arena from the metal cage. "Monitoring the lesson today is Gothi, it's her job to choose the winner at the end of training, so don't disappoint."

The trainees gave an eager nod, Hiccup merely walking towards the shield rack, taking one with a red and white pin wheel pattern. Behind her, Aarne reached for an elaborately designed shield of greens, reds, and blues in spiral patterns.

He leaned in closer to her, "Hey."

"Uh, hello," her voice as still hoarse but managed to conceal it from him.

"Read the book?" he asked, trying to make decent small talk.

"Yeah, it was... interesting to say the least."

Gobber searched for Hiccup, who was at the shield rack with Aarne. He was glad they were still on speaking terms and managed to learn something from the first day of training, being the only two with shields. _That's it Aarne, take it slow with her,_ he chuckled under his breath.

"Alright, take your shields people. Second day of training and already forgetting the basics!" With that said, the others zig-zagged out of the labyrinth to the rack and placed a shield on their forearms.

"Today's lesson is about Attack!" As he finished he pulled a lever near him, causing chains to release from one of the dragon cells. With the door unlocked, a blue Deadly Nadder stormed out. Wailing as it perched atop the high walls, spotting the teens from the side of its bright yellow eye. In its sights, the Nadder leaped over to the teens giving a bright blast of white fire. The shot blasted onto Hiccup's freshly fixed axe, scorching off the metal piece from the handle leaving a pointed wooden stake.

"Oh, come on, I just fixed this," she huffed in annoyance.

She dratted into the maze, taking left and right turns in an attempt to lose the Nadder whose focus was on the other teens entering the pathways, sometimes bumping into each other or crossing dead ends.

"Nadders are quick, and light on their feet. Your job is to be quicker and lighter," Gobber watched as the young Vikings made twist and turns aiming to lose the Nadder with most failing to maintain speed to out run it. Hiccup, despite being ill, swiftly evaded the beast, running past Gobber. "Hiccup!" She looked up to him, "Stay. Put. There." She gave him a blank stare, her eyes slightly hazed from the brief run and splurge of energy. "You know what I mean." Reluctantly, she stopped and placed herself directly in front of him near the side of a wall.

The Nadder hopping from edge to edge, retracted its poison spikes and taking aim at Fishlegs, running as he held his shield over his body, protecting himself from the sharp projectiles. "AAHOOHHH! I'm really beginning to question your teaching methods!" He looked over to Gobber who had a less than entertained look on his face.

"Look for its blind spot. Every dragon has one. Find it, hide in it and strike."

Turning a corner, the twins came into contact with the Nadder, luckily, caught in its blind spot. Leaning back, Tuffnut pressed his long blonde hair towards Ruffnut's face who breathed in the foul stench of his body, "Owh, do you ever bath?"

"If you don't like it, then get your own blind spot," he pushed her back while still trying to stay out of the dragons sight, irritating her in the process. They butt heads aggressively.

"How 'bout I give you one!"

Hearing the sound of their argument, the Nadder spots them and inhales a quick breath before sparking fireworks from its mouth. Ruffnut reached out for her brother's arm and pulled him out of the dragon's line of fire, both running off from the Nadder.

"Blind spot yes, deaf spot, not so much. Hehehe."

Hiccup, wanting to know more about the Book of Dragons sighed, "Um, Gobber, about the Dragon Manual, do you know who started it all, you know, documenting them and stuff?"

"Ah, now there is a fine question," he beamed with delight. The Nadder and other teens becoming a bore to him and he knew Gothi was keeping her eyes on the action. "It was Bork the Bold, my great-great-great grandfather. Fact of the matter is, Bork and dragons didn't seem to mix. He used to say, 'If you see a dragon, kill on sight'," She now understood why a bulk of the dragon pages in the book ended with the exact phrase.

"So he wrote the entire book based off of observation?"

"Not the entire book, just a good chunk of it. As the years passed, my ancestors filled in the pages to continue his legacy so that generations of Vikings could come and learn to defend themselves from the beast."

"Did Bork ever mention anything on how dragons fly or how their fins or tails worked?"

"Come to think of it," he scratched the bottom of his chin, "he never did. Bork's main focus was to kill and classify."

"So uh, hypothetically; How would one you know, mimic the flight movements of a dragons fin?"

Gobber paused for a moment. It was an interesting question. "Well if we're being hypothetical, to mimic the movement of a fin it would require to study one up close. It's all about fluid motions."

Hiccup took his words into consideration, wanting to ask more but was cut off from the sound of Aarne's voice in a low whisper behind her. "Hiccup!" he motioning his arm to the floor. "Down."

She looked over to Gobber who gave her a nod to proceed. She crouched down near Snotlout who was besides Aarne glancing over the corner. He spotted the Nadder scoping the area in search for the young Vikings. He knew they needed to get to the other side while evading its sights. Exhaling lowly, he tumbled swiftly to the adjacent wall, unnoticed by the Nadder with Snotlout following on rhythm.

Hiccup, still weak attempted to reflect their actions. Her muscles went limp as she rolled down, the weight of the shield preventing her from completing the full gesture. She laid flat on the ground giving a soft moan of fatigue which the Nadder picked up on and crept towards her still body.

Aarne, seeing Hiccup flat on the ground, lunged forward to defend her. He raised his axe to strike the dragon when Snotlout gave him a hard shove, "Don't worry, bro, I'll take care of this." He launched his mace in the direction of the Nadder, missing the target horribly as it bounced off the corner of a wooden beam. A mocking cackle from the Nadder reassuring his fault. With the boys minding the dragon, they failed to notice Hiccup regain herself before running back to Gobber's side.

Snotlout glanced over to Aarne, a clear look of annoyance and irritation in his blue glare, "The sun was in my eyes Aarne!" He pointed to a grey cloudy sky, no shimmer of sunlight to be found. A fireblast followed causing both to retreat down the long pathway, with the Nader hot on their trail.

"What do you want me to do, block out the sun!? I could do that, but I don't have time right now." He turned to an opening, leaving the Nadder to follow Aarne as he quickly circled the pathway, spotting Hiccup standing still by the maze and stone wall having a conversation with Gobber.

'_Is she really having a one on one with Gobber now!_' he ran past her, turning sharply. His body skid low, his shield sparked the ground before regaining himself. The Nadder close behind, looked over to Hiccup, who was defenseless and unthreatening to it; ignored her and chased after Aarne bumping into the wooden wall knocking it over causing a domino effect on several of the nearby structures.

The others fled from the falling walls, running and bumping past Hiccup, "Has the book ever been wrong about certain types of dragons like their behaviors or mannerisms?"

Focused on her questions, Gobber nearly failed to notice the tumbling walls and chaos inside the arena before he spotted Aarne jump climb the corners of one of the falling walls leaping into the air, the Nadder snapping at his heels.

Spotting the pathway leading to Hiccup, Gobber roared out to her, "HICCUP!"

Aarne's air dive landed him on a thin beam, trying to balance himself out, only to have the Nadder collide onto the wall, knocking him off and onto the closest object nearby.

His target, "HICCUP!"

She turned over to see Aarne fall from a top. Her body leaned back but her muscles gave weight, dropping her to the ground before Aarne's weight landed onto her hardly. His axe was tightly wedged between her shield, luckily missing her arm. Their legs were twisted together in a compromising position, his long hair escaping his braid and falling onto her face, blinding her to fields of gold.

Aarne, slightly dazed, lifted his arm and firmly placed it onto Hiccup's stomach trying to get up. His action caused the sting in her belly to return to sharp pains, burning inside her.

"Ooo, love on the battlefield," Ruffnut cooed from behind a fallen wall.

"She can do better," her brother stared as Aarne's larger body was pressed onto Hiccup's small one.

"Let me," she tried to calm him, the pain inside her bubbling. "Why don't you..."

Before she could finish, Aarne unawaringly lunge his hand to her face covering her nose and mouth. She struggled weakly to fight for breath, his hands pressing down on her lips and cheeks leaving visible purple bruising. She lifted her leg trying to release herself from his grip, accidentally brushing it alongside his crotch. The tingle from her touch caused him to let out a low growl in arousal, but registered to Hiccup as aggression. She froze, scared of what was yet to come, still unable to breathe.

Trying to reposition himself up, Aarne moved his hand away from her face, which she was grateful for before she felt the vice-like grip of his palm onto her breast. Her eyes widened, red tingeing her face from shame, her head clouding with dizziness from the overall trauma.

Everyone gasps witnessing the event, only Aarne unaware of his own actions. From the corner of the arena, the Nadder emerged from the rubble, spotting the two and racing towards them. Aarne lifted his head and saw the dragon heading straight for them causing him to squeeze tighter onto Hiccup's already sore breast for leverage. He could hear Hiccup's cry of distress beneath him.

"Please stop it, Aarne. Stop it," she weakly tried to convince him to release her, her voice cracking and becoming sore with every passing word.

Thinking her pleas to stop were directed towards him stopping the dragon, he pulled onto his axe, still lodged within her red shield. She sounded terrified, he needed to prevent this beast from harming her.

He lifted his legs and got up, trying to yank the axe from the wood several times unsuccessfully as it was tightly wedged; the repeated action of pulling at her shielded arm bounced her upper body up and down, her head colliding with the hard stone floor. Her mind was turning off as the colors of the world faded into greys and whites.

The Nadder was quickly closing in on the gap between them, Aarne hastily placed his foot onto Hiccup's neck and pulled the shield off her arm with the axe connected to it. The exposed blade on the opposite side of the shield cut deeply into her flesh, leaving a thick line of blood and torn skin. She couldn't breathe again, her windpipe pressed on hardly. She could feel the trickling of hot liquid running down her arm, her body too in shock to feel the pain.

With the shield freed and the Nadder right besides him, he swung at it harshly. The wood shattering into small pieces. Pained, the Nadder squealed before limping away from Aarne and his sweet grass blood covered blade.

The arena was silent. The only sound came from Aarne as he huffed air in and out of his lungs. Everyone stared at his back before gazing over to Hiccup, curling into a tight ball, a pool of bright red blood escaping her open wound.

The lesson had gone violent quickly.

Aarne's mind began to clear from the fog. He remembered running from the Nadder and Hiccup crying for help. _If she would have been paying attention to the lesson, and not talking with Gobber, she would have probably not been in the way._ He was angry. This wasn't a game, this was war preparation and she either needed to step up or leave. He turned and vented out his rage on the shivering girl beneath him.

"Is this some kind of a joke to you?! Our people's war is about to become ours. Figure out which side you're on!" His voiced echoed off the stone, making them seem louder. He pointed his axe towards her and finally noticed what he had done.

She was covered in blood, quivering in a fetal position. Her eyes shut and barely breathing, face red and covered in thick droplets of sweat.

It was Fishlegs who ran over to her side and placed his hand to her forehead softly, "Gobber, she's burning up."

Gobber was in shock, he could have never guessed letting her participate would have led to this. He regained his composer, "Fishlegs, Ruffnut, go with Gothi and take Hiccup, she needs immediate medical attention! NOW!"

Both nodded, Ruffnut ran to her side as Fishlegs carefully scooped Hiccup's frail body, quickly heading out the arena gate with Gothi meeting them by the exit to take her to her hut. Leaving Tuffnut, Snotlout and Aarne in the arena, quiet enveloped the air as Gobber made his way down and into the arena to have a little discussion...

...

Gobber was holding in his temper, rubbing his fingertips over the bridge of his unibrow, "I'll ask you all once: What was the lesson for today's training?"

They were all silent till Snotlout answered, "Attack?"

"Very good, now who were you all supposed to attack?" he asked in a slightly cheerful tone.

"Uh, the dragon?" Tuffnut replied.

"Correct, the dragon," he smiled before unleashing all his fury onto them. "THEN WHY IN ODIN'S NAME WERE YOU ATTACKING EACH OTHER!"

Snotlout and Tuffnut flinched from the sudden outburst, Aarne still disturbed by the image of Hiccup's bleeding form in his head to move.

"Tuffnut! In battle, you can't afford to let a petty banter of words cloud your mind! You would have been dead if not for Ruff pulling you out of the way. Snotlout! Your pride is your greatest weakness! You can't go show boating off in the field. Aarne!" His expression soften slightly as he saw the look of self-loathing in his eyes. He was truly broken up about this despite his stone exterior. He walked over to him and placed his palm over his shoulder pad, "Sometimes the one thing we forget to do in battle is keep track of our surrounding and our actions can lead to the harm of the ones we care for the most."

Gobber took back his hand and started walking out the gate, "I want the three of you to clean up this mess. Take the rest of the afternoon to think about your actions. At night, we meet at the watch tower. I'm going to go check on Hiccup."

The trio stood still for a while before gathering the ends of the wood walls and putting them away. The Nadder still out, all Aarne had to do was look at it and it raced back into its cage, cowering in the corner.

A_m I so threatening that I scare a Nadder into submission?_

With the cage door locked and the rubble cleared from the arena, the only thing behind being the large mass of dried blood on the stone turning a reddish-brown. They got several buckets filling them with water and grabbing brushes from the entrance and began cleaning the stain from the floor.

"Hey Aarne, was it worth it?" Tuffnut asked taking a brush to the stain.

"What?"

"Getting a feel of Hiccup's chest."

Aarne stopped scrubbing, frozen. The only thing he felt now was internal hate for putting her in so much pain. "I don't want to talk about it."

"If it were me," Snotlout remarked. "I would have grabbed the both of 'em."

"Isn't she like, your cousin?" Tuffnut questioned.

"So, like you wouldn't do the same."

Both ensued in laughter. The wrath in Aarne brewing before he couldn't hold any more of their sexist comments towards Hiccup and processed to beat at the both of them, leaving more blood to clean up.

...

Ruffnut, Fishlegs and Gothi raced to her elevated hut, careful not to harm Hiccup any further.

Ruffnut glanced over to Hiccup's bruised face. She couldn't believe how patient Hiccup was with others. If it had been her in her shoes, she would have beaten Aarne to a pulp, but Hiccup was a gentler creature. Growing up with a brother, Ruffnut couldn't afford to not be rough and tumble. She needed to let people know she wasn't to be pushed around. Of course, there were times when she wished she could let her guard down and just be girlish every now and then.

Hiccup was the only other girl in her age group and despite the fact she and her brother would pick on her, she wanted to be a little like her. More tolerant of others and not quick-tempered like she usually was.

Hiccup hadn't yelled or screamed when she was groped or cut and from the extent of her injuries, she knew she was in pain. "She's a lot stronger than she makes out to be," she said. Fishlegs the only one paying attention to what she had said.

"Yeah, she really is."

Fishlegs looked down to Hiccup, cradling her small body in his arms. She felt cold and limp, almost lifeless.

He had always admired how brilliant she was in things trivial and mechanical. She wasn't afraid to show her intelligence and share her knowledge with others when asked. Even when her opinions were different from others, she stood by them and defended them firmly. He was usually too scared to share his words with others, fearing he'd be mocked or judged for his thoughts. He wished he could be more confident with his mind like Hiccup was. She was a philosopher, not a fighter, and to her that was perfectly alright.

When they reached Gothi's hut, Hiccup was groaning slightly, the shock fading from her unconscious body. Gothi pointed to a table as she opened the front door where Fishlegs hastily laid Hiccup down gently. He backed off as Gothi examined Hiccup's injuries. Her house was decorated with various bones and jars of fresh and dried herbs covered the shelves with a fire roaring in the back of the hut.

"I heard Gothi can tell you when you're about to die just by looking at your fingernails," Fishlegs said hiding his nails and hands behind his back.

"Ah, that's just an old wives tale, she looks at your tongue," Ruffnut corrected. Fishlegs quickly retracting his tongue further into his mouth and slapping it shut.

Gothi, opening Hiccup's mouth and examining her tongue, noticed the dryness and redness from her throat. She then forced one eye open and saw the redness and teariness. Checking her pulse and wound, she went to work knowing exactly what to do.

Gothi placed a medium-sized caldron over the fire with water to heat up. She took a handful of figwort and mashed them with a white stone mortar and pestle, making a thick green poultice which she smeared carefully over the long cut on her forearm and hand. Hiccup's arm pain was slowly relieving as the cool pulp soothed her wound.

Cleaning out the mortar and pestle, Gothi went over to several jars and put black mustard seeds, mistletoe leaves and a small amount of honey into the mortar. She went over to the pot of water which was simmering and took a small amount with a long wooden ladle and poured it over the mixture before grinding it into a brownish-yellow paste. With the paste complete, she spooned the mixture onto her hand, opened Hiccup's mouth and shoved the paste down her throat. The concoction made its way to her stomach where it battled the pain inside and began forcing it out. Gothi tilted Hiccup's head to the side when she began to furiously cough, and after several strong gagging sounds expelled two pieces of partially digested fish.

"Ugh, is that fish?" Ruffnut questioned as she stared at them on the floor.

"Weird, Hiccup doesn't eat fish. How'd it end up inside her?"

Hiccup's stomach calmed back to normal, the pain completely gone only leaving it a bit upset. Gothi went over to examine the pieces of expelled matter. The fleshy side was partially eaten away at, while the scally ends were intake covered by a clear film of watery saliva. The film was different from humans, but she didn't let it dwell on her for too long as she still had somethings to do before Hiccup was fully healed.

She went over to a top shelve via step-ladder and took several containers and some pieces of dried herbs. In a bowl, she added fresh elderberries, dried feverfew, horehound leaves, fresh lemon balm, a piece of marshmallow root, dried chamomile, peppermint leaves and dried skullcap flowers. She went back to the water and took it off the fire and taking a ladle full of the hot liquid, placing it in the bowl for the mixture to brew.

With the tea steeped, she scribbled symbols on a patch of clear sand.

Fishlegs translated, "She wants you to help her bandage Hiccup."

Ruffnut stepped forward next to her still form. She slowly lifted up her shirt to examine the markings on her breast, Fishlegs turned away to the corner.

The area was darkened with the prints of Aarne's fingertips. It caused her to flinch imagining the pain she must have felt. Gothi handed her a long silk gauze, another in her palm. Ruffnut wrapped the fabric around her chest while Gothi bandaged her neck, a purplish blue print where Aarne's boot had held her down. The bandaging complete, Gothi nodded to Ruffnut who walked away and Fishlegs returned by her side.

The tea finished steeping, Gothi poured the dark red liquid into a small guksi cup and brought it to Hiccup's side. She carefully lifted Hiccup's head and allowed the hot liquid to flow down her throat, warming her from the inside. Her body was beginning to feel better and her head wasn't hurting as much as before. She finally relaxed and despite being unconscious the whole time, finally dozed into a relaxing sleep.

Hiccup's breathing began to grow steadily, her color returning to her. With a cloth, Gothi dunked it into the hot water, wringed it slightly and cleaned up the dried blood from her arm and hand, the fabric to her long-sleeved shirt torn.

Entering the front door, Gobber looked to see Hiccup lying on the long wooden table. She looked better, but she was bandaged up and blue markings laced her mouth and cheeks. He walked over and lightly traced his hand over her sleeping face. She wanted so badly to be like them, to be accepted and love by her father and this is what she got in return. He regretted ever suggesting to Stoick that she be put into training. Seeing firsthand the damage her body could endure and the lengths she'd go to fit in, he didn't want to see her hurt again. Even though he didn't want to be labeled as a second father to her, he couldn't help but feel that way towards her. She was too precious to him, like his own child, and he couldn't see her harmed like this again. What made it worse was he couldn't blame Aarne alone for her harm, he had as much a part in it was well. Aarne was trying to protect her, but resulted in bruising and cutting her; and he let her into the arena, knowing she was ill and couldn't defend herself in her state.

Gobber slowly lifted Hiccup off the table. "I'll take her home. Thank you all."

He limped out the door and made his way down the tower to the street and finally to Hiccup's house where he opened the door, walked her up the stairs, tucked her into her furs and kissed her forehead before leaving feeling he had failed her as a mentor.

...

Hiccup dreamed about the clouds. How close they were to her and the cool air blowing onto her face. She felt freed. Like nothing in the world mattered and she didn't have to prove herself because she knew she was important and loved. She wasn't alone though, right besides her was the Night Fury. He was gliding in the air, cutting clouds like an arrow with swift movements and fast speeds. She wasn't afraid.

She looked down and under her was the dragon. She was riding a dragon. The Night Fury. It was a surreal experience.

Flying by her was the Dragon Manual. She reached out for it and opened its pages. All the words in the book read 'Kill on Sight. Kill on Sight. Kill on Sight', all written in bright red blood. The bloody ink spread over till the entire page was covered in blood. Soon the book was leaking red warm liquid that kept gushing out like a waterfall. Her hands, arms, legs, her entire body was covered in blood. She looked out to the once cloudy bright sky, now dark and thunderous.

She saw a figure looming in the clouds, an axe in its hand, "Figure out which side you're on!"

The Night Fury was on one side of the clouds the figure on the other.

"What side am I on?"


	10. Chapter 10

_Hello. I'm cutting the deadline for this chapter close, as work has kept me from finishing it sooner, so I apologize for that. This chapter is focused on Toothcup relationship building. The next chapter will be posted in 5 to 6 days' time. Posted 5-7-2014. Thank you and please enjoy._

...

Hiccup's eyes batted several times before completely widening to the sight of the covered skylight, traces of bright light haloing the edges. She was home, covered by her crisp furs. Slowly, she lifted herself; a sting to her left arm prevented her from putting much pressure to it. She pulled the covers away with her right hand and saw the long cut along her forearm to the gap between her thumb and fingers, a dried layer of green plaster cementing the wound shut. Testing out her movement she tried to flex her fingers.

With a struggle at first, she managed to regain feeling to them grateful the injury hadn't rendered her left arm motionless. She was able to lift it, numb from the lack of blood circulation but once she started moving it the numbness turned into a heavy weight before returning to normal. The sleeve from her shirt ripped open, the fabric dyed brownish, drooping down. She felt relieved she only had a cut and not her arm amputated off. The thought of losing any part of her body was something she hoped she never had to experience.

Strength returning to her, she lifted herself out of bed. From the open window in her bathroom, she could see that the sun was shining brightly, appearing a few hours after noon. She took off her torn shirt, seeing the bandages wrapped around her chest and feeling the one circling her neck. Her fingers touched the dressing to her neck, a sharp pain to the area. She began to remember what had happened in the arena.

She felt humiliated by what had transpired. She had only want to learn more about dragons, maybe find a way to understand them better. Instead, she was yelled at by the one person who could do no wrong, Aarne. She didn't know what hurt more: him touching her, leaving her battered and scarred, or that he ridiculed her. She had felt maybe over the years' they were making slight progress in becoming friends, despite her bitter jealousy over his relationship with her father. Now she knew where she stood in the picture.

She wasn't in it. Aarne and her father were one in the same; they both wanted her to conform to a certain standard of Viking which she couldn't do against all her efforts. The only thing on Aarne's mind was being the best, always in the spotlight so her father could see him, leaving her in the dark.

All she ever wanted was to impress her father, to show him what kind of Viking she could be. But she couldn't. She wasn't the best, or the strongest, not even the bravest. She was only a failure.

_Gobber was right, I only brought myself pain by trying to compare myself to Aarne and win my father's heart. There's no point in it anymore. I've lost my will to fight,_ she could feel the hot tears cascading down her bruised cheeks. This was what hurt the most, giving up. All those years of working hard and being the best daughter she could be, meant nothing to her anymore. She no longer felt sick, she felt broken.

Slowly, she undid the wrap around her chest, gazing at the purple markings on her pale skin then doing the same to the one on her neck. She walking into the bathroom and gazed onto her reflection in the pool of water. She was a mess, covered in her own dried blood. Taking off the rest of her clothing she placed herself into the warm water, leaving her injured arm out as to not remove the cast till later. She watched as the clear waters turned red as the blood washed off her skin. Splashing water onto her face, her tears mixed with the sanguine colored water before she pulled the drain and sat there as the red tinted liquid disappeared.

Her body was clean now, but she still felt like dirt on the inside. Lifting herself, she refilled the tub with fresh water. She took hold of the sweet grass cleanser and poured a fair amount of the greenish liquid into the clear pool. Tracing her fingers over her body she washed the blood smell off her flesh. Finishing her second bath, she stepped out and gently dried her form of the excess moisture. Dried, she walked to her room gathering her worn articles, redressed her injuries and selected a clean set of clothing. She didn't feel so sad anymore, only hollow. Hiccup made her way downstairs to try to fill her hollowness with a meal.

She prepared herself a hearty bowl of rutabaga and Brussels sprout spiced stew, honey glazed herbed carrots and the remaining figs from the morning with toasted pine nut. It was the first real meal she had since her father left the morning before and her stomach thanked her for it. When she was done eating, she washed the dishes and focused on her torn bloody stained clothes on the table. She took a needle and thread and began stitching the sleeve back together before taking it to wash and dry outside on a clothing line.

When she stepped back into the house, she noticed the empty fish basket and leather tube. She wondered how the Night Fury was faring and if he was beginning to get hungry. Taking the basket, she took it over to the front door, climbing the steps to her room to grab her satchel and returned downstairs, grabbing the needle and thread in case the fin had tore and dropped it into her satchel before taking the basket and walking out the front door.

...

He hadn't done much since she left. He spent a good part of the morning staring at his new fin, a bit of it napping while the whole time thinking about her. Even if she claimed to be alright, he knew she was hiding something from him. She seemed weaker and more defenseless than the previous times she was with him, even more so than when she had fainted in front of him. He couldn't understand why he was so concerned over her well-being. She was a Viking, not really a typical one, but a Viking nonetheless. He should resent her, strike fear into her heart. She was the enemy. And yet, he couldn't. Maybe it was because she smelt sweet, fed him, made him a fin or the way she smiled brightly at him? That smile. His insides bubbled up when he imagined her smiling face, it was adorable.

The sound of a mother sparrow singing caught his attention. She bounced excitingly on her nest high on a bare branch before fluttering away elsewhere, _Man, what I would give to fly again._

He remembered he was so thrilled at the prospect of being in the clouds again. Dragging the girl along with him, possibly scaring the life right out of her, that he forgot to give her the shell halves as a 'thank you' gift.

He was curled right beside them, _I'll remember the next time she comes around._ A small grin formed on his face. He wasn't sure if it was the thought that she might bring more food or that she'd be there that make him so warm on the inside. Not wanting to overthink things, he closed his eyes and napped again till the sun was high in the sky.

It was a little after that he heard the sound of something heavy fall to the ground that his eyes widened and there she was, a basket full of fish with her body turned away from him. He rose and curiously crept closer to her as she made her way towards him. The first thing he noticed were the bruises to her delicate face along with the white fabric around her neck. Her smile was slightly forced and her eyes didn't have the same shine to them as before. His pupils dilated wide to her approaching form.

"Hey, big guy, I brought you some more fish. No eels with time, I promise."

_Forget the eels! What happened to you? You said you'd be fine, but you're clearly not._

He knew all she could hear was his grumbling, but he made sure she knew what he meant by staring directly at the injuries.

"Oh," she traced her hand to her neck. He could see a long cut on her hand making its way into her sleeve, "This...it's nothing, I'll be alright."

He raised his brow in suspicion as she lowered the basket and laid the fish in front of him. Like she had said, no eel. He brought a salmon to his mouth and presented it to her whole. She widened her eyes, her expression dropped to the ground as she hesitated, "I can't."

He tilted his head in confusion.

"I don't eat meat...I'm very sorry," she gave a deep bow before walking to a boulder on the far side of the cove. Sitting with her head low as she started disturbing the earth with a stick.

_She doesn't eat meat?_ he thought back to when he had first met her and how she had gathered plants and to the garden she kept here. Even her hesitation to eat what he had giving her made sense now. She wanted him to know she respected him and wanted to earn his in the process. _She went through all that trouble, for me?_ he felt touched. In the beginning, she could have said no, instead she did something that went against what she was accustomed to. If anything, he respected her more for that. He scarfed down the basketful of fresh fish, grateful for the meals she provided. When he was finished, he walked over to her side to see what she was up to and if she was really feeling better.

He stood behind her as she sketched a portrait of his face. It was a simple yet sweet picture. He purred and chattered, she paused slightly before filling in the eyes.

_Not bad,_ he turned over to a young tree and walked to it on his hind legs, pulling it out from the ground with his teeth before making his way back to her. _My turn._

He laid the end of the tree to the soil and began etching a single line, twisting and turning it along with his body as he circled around her. She watched silently as he performed his artwork, following his movement. He paused and turned over to her, catching her staring before turning her head elsewhere as if minding her own business. He started a second line, running around her. The leaves from the tree colliding with the back of her head, _Sorry._ Continuing to twist he finally finished his masterpiece, stepping back to admire his work. _It's you..._' he looked down to wobbled lines and abstract patterns. W_ell, kinda._

She rose and twirled around to view the image. She wanted a better look at it and proceeded to make her way out of the picture stepping on a line, earning her a dissatisfied growl from him as he pulled his ears and scale back furrowing his toxic eyes. She lifted her foot immediately stepping back, biting the bottom of her lip. With her off the line his expression changed to puppy-dog eyes. His ears prompt up and his features relaxed, almost happy. She tested the waters, lifting her arms up for balance as she placed her boot on the line once more, earning her the same groan and disgruntled attitude. She repeated the process once more before guiding her leg and placing it on an unmarked gap, receiving a pleasant note for her actions. She shot him a gentle smile before looking to the ground making her way around his maze. Each twist and turn had her dance in a different direction, careful not to step on any lines, before she felt the warm puffs of breath on top of her head and the large shadow underneath her.

Hiccup slowly turned, the dragon directly in front of her as he vibrated with low purrs, staring into each other's green eyes. She felt an urge to reach out for him, scared of what might become of it. Slowly she extended her hand towards his snout, which he responded with a toothy snarl retracting his head slightly. Quickly she retrieved her hand, calming him down. She wondered if he was angry with her for refusing his offer of fish, lowering her head to the ground. The want to reach out for him still there, she extended her arm slowly.

Her face turned away as she closed her eyes, letting all her trust fall onto the dragon.

His eyes widened to the palm presented to his form, her face turned from him. It wasn't that he didn't want her to touch him, he was afraid of what might come next.

The unknown.

Would she become frightened and run off? or faint? The last time she touched him he had her nearly scared to death as she held on to his tail and the first time he sent her drowning at the bottom of the pond. He was afraid he'd harm her again. And yet, she still trusted him and wanted him to know he could do the same with her.

He leaned his head forward slightly before pulling back, _If I do this, there's no turning back_. He looked to her little palm, so small and soft looking he wanted to feel it. He closed his eyes and allowed his snout to find its way to her warm touch.

...

She flinched a bit as she felt the cool scales of the Night Fury's snout. Slowly she opened her eyes and turned to face him, his eyes closed to her sensation. He lifted his lids and saw her face, a softness to it. He inhaled the gentle aroma of sweet grass of her skin. She was definitely soft and warm to the touch. The gentle beat of her heart could be felt from her interaction, his own heart trying to match it with hers. He enjoyed seeing her dance around his art, the way she would pause to figure out which gap to take and what line to cross. His heart jumped when she trailed in his direction, almost like she was led to him by unknown forces. He didn't want the dance to end, not yet.

He pulled away slowly and prowled over to the opposite end of the picture as she followed his movements with her gaze.

He took seat and gave her a small nod, _One more dance._

A glowing smile brightened her face as she trailed her way again across the abstract lines, sometimes her eyes meeting his mid-turn. Her toes tipped onto the open spaces, the hollowness in her heart slowly being filled with something new as she waltzed around till once again she could feel his soft exhales to her hair. Not turning around, she raised her palm over her shoulder and leaned it behind her head. He tenderly rested himself onto her palm, happy she managed to aisle back to him. The dance was proving to be far more simulating than teasing her, knowing she was enjoying herself as much as he was. He pushed her palm slightly indicating her to move forward, which she obeyed.

Still looking to the ground, they both tangoed around the picture, her back to his front. He led her around, circling the dance floor several times unaware they had spent hours just going around the promenade. She was having so much fun that midway through she turned over to face him, which he didn't seem to mind. He longed to see her joyous grin and hear her delicate giggles when he had her turn quickly. He hoped whatever had her down before didn't seem so devastating, she looked better with a cheerful smile anyways.

They stopped when Hiccup's boot touched the boulder, taking seat panting from the long dance they both shared. He looked down to her and saw something small in the distance from the corner of his eyes. He remembered the shell and slowly parted from her velvety caress to race to it and returned. He presented her with the shell halves as she extended her palm under his toothless gums. They fell onto her hands and she examined them closely.

"Is this, for me?" she looked up to him with large eyes. He nodded but wished he hadn't giving her such a trivial gift.

He felt ridiculous. _What if she doesn't like it? I mean, a shell is a pretty stupid gift now that I think ab..._

"I love it."

His eyes widened to her words._You like it?_

The smile on her face glowed brighter touching the reddish shell, "No one has ever given me a gift before." Her pools of green dilated slightly illuminating with bliss, "Thank you."

His insides fluttered by the sound of her voice and the look in her eyes. She was doing something to him and he wasn't too sure if he liked it or not. A part of him said to enjoy the moment while another told him he needed to stop this.

Hiccup reached for the thread and needle in her satchel, placing an end of the thread in the eye and piercing a small hole to the end of one half before threading the string though the hole. Once it was in, she pulled the needle though the hole leaving the thread in place, knotted the ends together. She placed the shell necklace around her neck, adjusting the length and reknotting it before cutting off the excess with her teeth. "How does it look?"

He stared at the shell dangling on her neck, the white fabric distracting him. He leaned forward and touched the gauze, letting her know he wanted it off.

She looked down, she didn't want him to see her injuries. "It's nothing." He wasn't buying her excuse and gave a firm groan till she reached for it, slowly unraveling the fabric away. With the fabric gone, he looked to a large blue bruise to her pale skin. He sniffed it, a soft chirp of concern in his voice.

_You're hurt. Are you alright?_

Two days ago, he would have left her body battered, maybe even burned, but seeing her tender skin bruised like this upset him. He leaned forward and wiped his tongue slowly over the blemished flesh. She flinched away as he pressed onto the bruise with his tongue, letting a small gasp escape her lips. His tongue felt warm and soothing, the pain on her skin fading with every flick he made. He pulled back and eyed the area once more. The discoloration fading, reverting to normal. She pressed her palm onto the moist area, the sting disappearing.

He reached for her arm and pulled the sleeve with the tips of his teeth, careful not to tear at the fabric. With slight resistance, Hiccup pulled her sleeve away, exposing the long cut to him. Sniffing the green plaster, he swept his tongue from her hand up the forearm, spitting the pulp of plaster from his mouth before tracing it over and over. She bit her lower lip and shut her lids tightly, a slight sting crept up her arm before the aching turned to warmth. When he stopped she opened one lid and the torn skin was healed completely, as if it had never occurred.

She examined it closely, _His saliva does heal. Is he, is he trying to make me feel better?_

She lifted herself, walking over to the water before the feeling of something strong pulled her back by the waist. He had his paw to her midsection, tugging her close then trailing his oral muscle over her cheeks, purring as he felt her skin getting hot from his laps. She squirmed lightly as he snaked his wet tongue over her profile, a whimper passing her throat when he pulled her closer. Satisfied, he loosened his grip around her, the flavor of sweet grass inside his mouth. He would be lying if he said he disliked running his tongue over her skin. She was so soft and tasted irresistable. She pulled away unsure of herself before she lowered herself to the pool.

The bruises on her face and neck had vanished, leaving nothing on her skin but the saliva of the Night Fury. She turned over to him. He had placed himself right besides her, "Thank you, but it's gonna be difficult to explain how the bruises disappeared in a few hours."

_Crap. I didn't think of that,_ he exasperated.

"When we first met, you licked the cut I had on my forehead. I never thanked you for that so, uh, thanks."

He looked over to her, a big smile of her now clear face, admiring her soft expression.

"Wait right here," she held her hands out, dashing over to the fish basket and returning with it to his side kneeling. He watched as she undid one of the leather straps, pulled out the needle and remaining thread, piercing two tiny holes into the second half of the shell and sewing it onto the leather. "Lend me your paw, please," he obeyed and she wrapped the strap around before sewing the ends together to a perfect fit. He looked down to the cuff, the red shell centered onto it.

"I know it isn't much, but when I fix your fin and your able to fly, maybe this'll remind you that not all humans hate dragons." He stared back at her, he never imagined he could receive a gift from a human. She wasn't like the others, she was special.

'_You wait here,_' he motioned for her to stay and ran over to the vegetable garden, returning with a decent sized parsnip. She reached for it from his mouth, he understood that she didn't eat meat and gave her something she did. She was beginning to understand him a little better.

"Do you have a name?"

He was caught off guard by the question. Dragons had titles, not names. They were solely referred to by their breed, him being Night Fury. He didn't want to disappoint her and did the one thing he knew made her smile so kindly. He formed his toothless grin, a cheerful hum in his call.

She tilted her head, chuckling from his display, "How about Toothless? Is that alright?"

She raised her palm out and he made contact to it with his snout, nodding his head with approval before separating from her touch.

"It's getting late, I better get going. Tomorrow I'll come back with more fish and to see how I can get you your fin working." She went over to the gauze on the boulder; reapplying it to her neck and reaching for the one around her chest to wrap around her hand and arm, concealing the healed flesh once torn. "I still need to figure out how to get it moving, but once I do, you'll be out of here in no time. Thank you for everything, Toothless."

She went over to the basket and pulled the remaining strap over her arm. Giving him one last touch to his snout, she made her way out of the cove with her new necklace, parsnip and euphoria inside her heart.

He watched her leave, wishing tomorrow came sooner.

...

When Hiccup returned home, she placed the empty basket by the back door. For the first time, she felt cozy on the inside. She didn't feel pressure or self-doubt, it was different. She didn't really feel this way with others, mostly only with Gobber, but to have the same sensation from a dragon was confusing. All her life, she was told that dragons were demons, sent to harm and wreak havoc on mankind. Getting to know Toothless, she was seriously doubting those teachings.

_Figure out which side you're on!_ The words pierced her like cold steel. On one side was her own kind. People who openly mocked her for her beliefs and inability to adhere to their lifestyle. On the other was their foes, dragons. Creatures she knew little about from her own experience and from what she knew, they weren't the bloody-thirsty villains painted on the pages of her history. They felt pain, fear, joy; like any other living thing. She was torn.

Follow tradition.

Or break away from it.

Her thoughts jumbled, the sound of knocking warped her back to reality. She made her way to the front door, Gobber standing at the entrance. "Hiccup, you're awake and..." his blue eyes observed her face before reaching out to it, "you're not bruised anymore?"

"Uh, yeah," she panicked slightly. "I put some ointment on my face and went to get some sunlight, so it healed pretty fast, haha."

He gave her a suspicious stare but brushed it off, Hiccup had nothing to hide from him. "Alright. I just wanted to know if you were up to have supper at the watch tower with the others? But, only if you're feeling better."

"I'm up for it. I'm feeling a lot better, to be honest. I feel," she reached for and caressed her necklace, a gentle smile danced her face, "at ease in a way."

Gobber saw the sudden change in her demeanor, she seemed happier, self-assured. Was the scare from the arena the cause for this? He wanted to tell her what was on his mind. "Hiccup, about dragon training, I wanted to tell you something."

"Actually, me too. It's been on my mind for some time now," they both took in some air and together voice their opinions.

"I think I should quit dragon training."

"I think you should quit dragon training."

"What?" they stared at each other for a while, knowing what the other had just said.

"You want to quit?" he raised his brow. He wasn't really expecting her to give the same answer. Dragon training would possibly have earned her father's love, and she wanted out.

She sighed. "Yes. Today showed me something Gobber. I'm more interested in learning about dragons, not fighting them. There's so much we don't know about them," she reached into her satchel and returned the Dragon Manual to him. "This book is important for the future of our people and I want it to represent dragons for what they REALLY are. I want to classify not kill."

Gobber's eyes softened as her expression slowly sank. Stoick might have been wrong about her intelligence leading her nowhere in Berk. If there was anyone he'd trust with his families legacy, it'd be Hiccup. She was naturally curious, trying to uncover the truths of the world, and it was exactly what Berk needed for the future.

"You know Hiccup," he pressed the book back to her. "I want you to have this book. I know you'll have a better use for it than the others. And for what it's worth, I rather enjoy your questions. You're the only one who doesn't settle for 'what is', you look for the 'why'."

Her eyes widened looking to him, then the book, "I don't know what to say. Thank you so much Gobber." She reached out to hug him, the book in one hand and her parsnip in the other. He returned the embrace softly still knowing she was hurt. They pulled away, "I'll let the others know you're out of training tomorrow. Consider this your last meal as a team."

She closed the front door and walked with him to the tower for her last meal with the future defenders of Berk.

...

Hiccup and Gobber were the first to the tower. Gobber lit the fire pit while Hiccup prepared some raw chickens they bought from a merchant. The sun was setting, fragments of sunlight still hung close to the horizon, as if not wanting the day to end.

The first to arrive was Fishlegs, "Hey Hiccup, feeling better? You gave us all a real scare this morning." He sat at the far right, watching her place the chickens onto long wooden sticks.

"Much better, thank you. I want to thank you and Ruffnut for taking me to Gothi's, I kinda ruined the lesson."

"No-no, you shouldn't blame yourself for what happened Hiccup, it was unexpected. And I accept your thank you. You made me realize something today," Fishlegs smiled.

"What?"

"That I shouldn't be afraid to say what's on my mind. You express your opinions openly, even if others find them weird or different. I want to try and do that too, even if the others might laugh or not listen."

She handed him the largest chicken, a brightness in her tone, "I'd listen, I think you've got a lot of interesting things to say. And I'll only laugh if you say something worth laughing about, like a joke."

He took the stick of whole chicken and held it over the fire to cook, "Thanks, Hiccup."

Soon the twins arrived, Ruffnut taking seat next to Fishlegs and Tuffnut to Hiccup's right shoulder. "Hey, you good Hiccup?" Ruffnut asked as she was presented with her portion of chicken.

She gave a firm nod before handing Tuffnut his own, "Yeah, thanks for helping bandage me up, I really appreciate it."

"Ah, I'm sure you'd do the same for us."

"You could bandage me any day Hiccup," Tuffnut winked before getting his face pushed aside by Gobber for getting too close to her.

The last to make their way to the tower were Snotlout and Aarne. Snotlout doing most, if not all of the talking while Aarne remained silent. He looked over to see Hiccup, he hadn't seen her since the morning when he yelled at her. He felt like less of a man for doing so as well as for harming her. As they made their way in, she gave each of them their meal, Aarne taking seat by Fishlegs and Gobber, leaving Snotlout to sit between the twins. Looking over to her, Aarne saw the gauze around her neck and arm. She avoided his eyes as well as his presence in general and to be fair he didn't blame her for it.

"So, now that we're all here, let's dig in," Gobber said. His bird nearly roasted all the way though.

After that, there was an awkward silence for the longest time. The only sound coming from the fire. Gobber broke the ice once the sun was disappearing from the west. "Have I ever told any of you, the story of how I lost my first limb?"

They all gave him curious stares, all but Hiccup who had heard his tale many times before. "I was but a lad, and I was making the rounds for night watch at this exact tower. We hadn't been raided in over a month, but we stayed vigilant, knowing the demons would return. One night, much like this, I heard the blood-chilling cry of a Monstrous Nightmare. Lit ablaze as it came falling from the sky and onto the village, burning houses and trying to take the sheep. I dove into action and did what any sensible Viking would and wrestled the beast till the break of day. I must have turned away from him long enough before he stuck, and with one twist, he took my hand and swallowed it whole. And I saw the look in his face, I was delicious. He must have passed the word because it wasn't a month before another one of 'em took my leg."

The young Vikings exchanged looks of astonishment, 'whoas' and 'wows' echoed in the night.

"Isn't it weird to think that your hand was inside a dragon?" Fishlegs demonstrated by wrestling two bitten drumsticks. "Like if your mind was still in control of it, you could have killed the dragon from the inside by crushing his heart or something."

Not interested in Fishlegs words, Snotlout glared at his chicken, "I swear I'm so angry right now. I'll avenge your beautiful hand and your beautiful foot. I'll chop off the legs of every dragon I fight, with my face!"

"Ah, eh, eh no. It's the wings and the tails you really want," he wiped his mouth over his forearm before tearing off a wing from his bird. "If it can't fly, it can't get away. A downed dragon, is a dead dragon."

Hiccup thought of Toothless, how he had helped her in the cove. He didn't deserve to be grounded. She needed to find a way to set him free, she just wasn't too sure how.

Gobber gave a heavy yawn, stretching his exhausted body. "Alright, I'm off to bed. You should be too. Tomorrow we get to the 'big boys', slowly but surely making our way up to the Monstrous Nightmare. But who'll win the honor of killing it?"

"It's gonna be me. It's my destiny, see," Tuffnut leaned back, giving a wink over to Hiccup who was clearly not minding him. He lifted his shirt and showed them a dragon shaped marking on his skin.

Fishlegs gasps deeply at the sight. " Your mom let you get a tattoo?"

"It's not a tattoo, it's a birthmark."

"Okay, I've been stuck with you since birth, and that was never there before," Ruffnut told her twin in a less than impressed tone.

"Yes it was, you've just never seen me from the left side until now. What do you think Hiccup?...Hiccup?"

They turned to her seat. She had vanished, leaving her cooked parsnip to go uneaten. Gobber figured she lost interest in the conversation when he mentioned the killing. It wasn't what she wanted to do, and he was glad they both agreed she keep out of the action. He turned over to Aarne, his eyes glued to the spot she was on, unmoved and silent while the others continued to talk.

He nudged the lad besides him, "You should go talk to her, while you still have the chance."

"Why bother, I'm probably the last person she wants to speak to. You saw the bandages, I did that to her. How could I ever forgive myself for hurting her like that? And on top of it all, I lost hold of my temper and yelled at her."

"We all know you never intended to harm her, and I'm sure she knows that too. The best thing to do now is apologize, ask for forgiveness. It's not much, but it's a start in the right direction. I think it'll do the both of you good," he gave a firm pat to Aarne's back. After thinking it over, he rose and made his way down the tower to say what he had to say.

...

She didn't want to hear about killing dragons. Her heart and mind were still torn as to whom to side with. Viking life was all she knew. It was her heritage, but she didn't belong. Dragons weren't what they appeared to be. She saw that with her own eyes, yet they were villains. She saw good in both as well as great evil.

It made her wonder, _What if we're the bad ones?_

She placed her hand on the front door of her house. The sound of someone saying her name stopped her from pushing it open. "Hiccup."

Aarne was behind her, his hair back in his usual braid with his long bangs covering his right eye, "Can we talk?"

Her body was motionless for the longest time, she hadn't expected him, "Um, sure, we can talk." She turned around to face him, her on the top steps with him at the bottom.

He looked away for a moment and took a deep inhale, "I wanted to apologize, for what happened at the arena. I lost focus on what was important to me and as a result I can never forgive myself for what I've done. I'm sorry." He bowed, His eyes to the stone steps.

She wasn't too sure what to say, she always saw Aarne as too proud to apologize. He was never in the wrong yet here he was, atoning for his actions. "I'm sorry too. I wasn't paying attention to the training, and you were right. I'm never where I should be. I forgive you, Aarne. It's just gonna take some time for us to return to where we were as friends, if you can call it that."

His eyes blow open. She forgave him, but what shot him was her thought on their relationship. She saw him as a 'friend', "I understand. Thank you." He looked up to her face, clear from the dark markings he had left her. He hadn't noticed it before, "Your cheeks..."

"Oh, I managed to reduce the bruising, I'll be alright," she reached for her cheek.

He stepped forward onto the first step and extended for her face, "I'm glad, if your father found out..."

"My father?"

He held his tongue. He managed to put himself in an awkward position yet again. "Hiccup, listen, your father entrusted me to look after you..."

"So that's what this is about, not looking bad in my father's eyes?" she leaned away from his hand close to her face. "Unless you haven't noticed, I've been looking after myself for a long time now. So I don't need you to shadow me so that the chief's little 'hiccup' doesn't get hurt or cause trouble. I can forgive you for wounding and yelling at me..." she tried to hold back her tears; knowing now her father never had faith or trust in her, only in Aarne, "but not for this."

She turned around and entered her house, slamming the door in his face. He returned his hand to his side, balling it into a tight fist. He cursed himself for opening his mouth, wishing he could take back the entire day. Start over, as if none of this ever happened.

He turned around and made his way to his home, the image of her on the verge of tears haunted him till the break of dawn.


	11. Chapter 11

_Hello again and thank you for your patients. From this point on Hiccup is out of dragon training, so to fill in the time, she's going to be learning from Toothless as well as other dragons. Next chapter to be posted in three to four day's time. Posted 5-13-2014. Thank you and please enjoy._

_..._

Blue hour fleeced the isle of Berk. The air was crisp with the slight chill of the season. Inside the Haddock residence Hiccup was exiting the bath, fiddling with her shell necklace. She dressed before making her way downstairs to prepare breakfast and retrieve her clothing from the day previous. When she put her clothing inside she lit the fire pit and while it warmed, put her articles away upstairs.

Her breakfast consisted of gooseberry pancakes, cinnamon coated apple groats, and a cup of hot tea. While eating, she tried to find ways to help Toothless. She had a limited amount of time as well limited knowledge on the subject. Thankfully, she no longer had to attend dragon training so she could focus her mind on him. Meal completed, she washed up, took the fish basket and made her way out to the docks. She needed to help Toothless, but first she had to get him a morning meal of his own.

Hiccup reached the docks right when Mulch and Bucket were arranging to set sail for the daily catch. "Mornin' Hiccup, you're up early. What brings you here?"

"Morning Mulch, Bucket, I came to return your basket, I kinda tore a strap off and dropped the fish. Sorry about that."

"Oh, it's no trouble, it happens all the time," Mulch reached out for the basket, laying it with the others.

She hated lying, but it was all she could do to keep Toothless a secret.

"I was wondering," she fiddled with her palms. "Do you think I could join you two today? I'd really like to make up for breaking the strap. I'm not the best fisher, but I'm willing to work for a batch and I'll do my best."

Both fishermen looked at each other, they always liked Hiccup. She was a quiet, shy child. They watched her grow into a fair young woman who wanted nothing more than to feel she had a placed amongst them. She just needed a little encouragement and they had to attempt, some additional company would be enjoyable. "Sure thing. Hop aboard." Bucket held his hand out to hers and pulled her to the boat, "Let's set sail."

...

Out at sea, Hiccup could feel the boat rock along with the waves. Her tiny arms rowed the boat along with Bucket at one end, Mulch guiding them out to open waters. She had never been on a boat before, the experience new and exciting to her. Her eyes mostly kept to the waters ahead, occasionally peeking up to see gulls glide in the breeze.

"This seems like a good spot to drop anchor." Hiccup and Bucket stopped rowing while Mulch tossed the stone anchor overboard, keeping them in place. She rose wobbling a bit, not used to the swaying rhythm of the sea. Once she balanced herself, she went over to lower the sail before she turned around and viewed Berk in its glory for the first time. It was beautiful. She could see the high mountain tops laced with snow and low clouds. The village so small, she could hardly make out the buildings.

"Wow."

"Makes you feel small doesn't it?" Mulch gave her a soft pat on the back.

"I never imagined it looked so different from out here. Berk is huge." She walked over to the right side of the boat, tossing the fishing net into the blue below.

"It may appear that way, but there are larger islands out there. Some seem to go on for ages."

She had never left the island before, now there was an entire world out in the distance. "How big do you think the world is?" Hiccup's eyes were peering to the vast veils of blues as she helped Bucket reel in the net, fish tangled in it.

"I'm not too sure but it's big, full of mystery and wonder," Mulch said as he began placing the freshly caught fish into several baskets before casting the net again for a second catch.

She gazed to the rising sun as its first light touched the waters. "Do you think we'll be able to uncover the mysteries of the world?"

Both men looked over to the horizon. They never really took the time to appreciate the morning rays. "Maybe someday."

"I like to think someday, man will learn to fly," the net pulled back to the ship as Bucket relayed his hope.

"Ha-ha, man flying! Now that's a wonder I'd like to see someday too, buddy."

Hiccup thought about what Bucket had said. It brought back the memory of her dream, soaring in the clouds with Toothless.

She knew Toothless needed something to stimulate muscle movement in his fin. What Gobber had told her yesterday came to mind ,_To mimic the movement of a fin it would require to study one up close._

It seemed logical. If she wanted to shape a fin that got him off the ground, she'd need to observe what made his true fin work. She knew muscles moved by sending responses from the brain to the tissue. With the tissue lost, the signals become non-responsive. In Toothless' case he had an artificial fin, so it would require artificial movements. An external force.

She pulled the net, forcing the load of fish onto the deck. They did this several times, placing the batches into baskets before they managed to fill every last one to the brim. "Good reel in today, for someone who isn't a typical fisher, you sure proved yourself today, Hiccup."

"No, the nets did all the work. I just helped pull them in..." she paused. Her hand was on the rope to pull the sail open. A_rtificial movements,_ she made a connection. Pulling was the external force she needed. The day Toothless tried to fly with his new fin, she had to pull it open. She now knew what force she needed, she just had to find a way to connect it to the fin somehow.

With the catch complete, they returned to the island full of fish and wonder.

...

Toothless kept staring at his cuff. It was simple, but it meant so much more to him than just a strap of leather with a shell. It was their secret. Two creatures, whom for centuries fought and hated each other, formed a strange yet oddly wondrous bond. He, a Night Fury, agile and powerful. She, a Viking like no other, docile, and fair. Despite his wild nature, she spotted the kindness within. Looking past the sharp claws and razor fangs, she could sense the warm and gentle spirit he tried so hard to keep hidden from the world.

He had to be edged, it was his duty to defend his troops, following the orders of the Red Death. Insubordination led to immediate cannibalism and the czar rarely let any acts of treason slip under the rug. The only reason he was still alive despite his rebellious tenure, was that he was serviceable in many ways. He took down long-range weaponry which over the past few years had become precise at systematically eliminating them. His jet scales camouflaging him from enemies during night tide. He was built for speed and agility. Most of all, he was prized for his rarity and intelligence. The hive was his only home, and although it was also meant to be his prison, he still yearned to return. Not for his sake, but for the rest of the colony.

"Toothless," his head shot up, the sound of her tender voice breaking his lethargy. He made his way towards her, more so awaiting her rather than the meal she brought. "Caught you some breakfast, bud. Here you go," she opened the container and pushed it over on its side, fish swimming out from the brim. As much as he wanted to eat, he needed to know if she was feeling better than she was yesterday.

She still wore the bandages around her neck and arm knowing it was a ruse to keep the others unaware of her mended flesh. Her smile was vivid, her eyes lustered like peridot stones that he could gaze at for hours. The shell necklace dangled oh so wonderfully between her collar bones. She appeared elevated in spirit and he was elated knowing she was going to be alright. With that covered, he dug into his morning meal.

"I've got some good news bud," she kneeled down to his level. "I think I found a way to help you out. I'm gonna need to get some things before we get started. There's something I need from you though." He looked up, waiting for her to continue, a cod between his teeth. "The thing is, you're the only one I can turn to for information, and to study your flight patterns..." she gave a slight pause rubbing her palms together and biting her lower lip. "I'm gonna have to ride you."

He nearly gagged on the cod going down his throat, _What!_ A human riding a dragon, it was ridiculous. Never, in the history of both creatures, had the two ridden together. After his coughing subsided, he gave her a firm stare. Being executed by man was a common loss to his kind, but having one ride one was a humiliation. The very thought sent a vicious tremble down his spine, giving a harsh growl to the idea.

"I know, I know, it's crazy. Look, I don't know anything about flying or fins. In order to get you out of here, we need to work as a team," she leaned back slightly from his reaction. "You don't have to like me or care about any of this," she looked down before returning her gaze to his, "but I do need you to trust me."

He wasn't too sure how to respond to her statement. She had given him her time, kept him safe, provided him food. She was beginning to grow on him. He couldn't deny his fondness towards her and he truly watched over her with concern lately. If anything, he trusted her more than any other human in the world and if she needed this, he'd cooperate.

His tone changed and his pupils dilated. Freedom was what he wanted, and he needed her for that. They had to become a team.

Hiccup saw the switch in his demeanor, softening her tenseness, "Alright, I'll be back. I promise." She ran her palm under his jowl before lifting herself, making her way out of the cove.

_And I'll wait here. I guarantee,_ the sensation of her touch lingering on his jet scales.

...

Hiccup walked to the forge, the sunrise warming the cool clime. There were still wisps of umbra inside which she cured by opening a window on the eastern side of the building. She went over to her study, pulling away the fabric, letting the light bathe the enclosed space. Pulling on sheets of clean paper, she began forming a saddle made for Toothless.

Once she completed the design, she went over to a shelve full of dark brown leather rolls and laid a sheet down on the work table. She cut a fair length with a carving knife, adjusting the fabric before marking the pieces to cut with soapstone chalk. When marked, she cut out the scraps of leather accordingly before treating the edges closed. She pulled out a roll of leather tools. Taking a mallet and tack hammer, she began punching holes around the perimeter of the main body. From the roll, she pulled out a lok-eye needle and reached for waxed thread to stitch the pieces together. Stitching complete, she went over to the forge and took some metal rounds to fasten onto the leather strap and side. The job took about an hour to complete but once done, she marveled at the creation.

Hopefully with this, she'd get Toothless back in the clouds.

"Mornin' Hiccup," she turned over to Gobber. "Glad to see you're up, healthy and back to work." She placed the saddle on her table and walked out the main room. "Yep, right as rain." They exchanged a few words, Hiccup telling him about her small adventure out to sea, "It was amazing Gobber."

"Glad to know you liked it, and good to see you finding things to do now that you're off the training."

"Just trying to make my mark," she lit the fire pit right when the other teens appeared by the window.

"Hello there, recruits. Here for a weapon rebuffing?" he reached out for their weapons and handed them over to Hiccup who took care to sharpen, balance and hand them back orderly. When she reached Aarne's axe, she paused. The blade was clean but blunted from excessive use. This same edge cut deep into her flesh. It took a moment before she treated it like any other hatchet.

"Ready for today's training, Hiccup?" Fishlegs asked looking at his balanced hammer.

"Uh", she lifted the axe from the stone grinder. "Yeah, about that I'm a..."

"As of today, Hiccup is officially out of dragon training," Gobber turned to the teens while fixing on his hammered hand.

They all exchanged questionable looks before eyeing Hiccup as she finished Aarne's axe.

"You're leaving training?" Ruffnut inquired. A look a true shock plastered on her face.

She walked over to the window and handed Aarne his weapon, refusing to look at him but their hands slightly grazed for a moment.

"Yeah, I'm not a warrior, I'm a philosopher. I'm okay with that. Some of us just weren't meant to kill," she fiddled with her necklace. Toothless crossing her mind.

Tuffnut looked down to the necklace. "What's with the shell Hiccup?"

She looked down, a slight tingle in her heart and a warm smile graced her face, "Someone special gave this to me."

They all shot a dubious gawking expression to her profile as she danced her fingers over the shell. They had never seen Hiccup looked so jubilant. Aarne glared at the trinket closely, '_Someone special gave her that?_' He felt a tug to his heart, _Who is this guy? Was she wearing that yesterday? Why is she so happy about some ridiculous half shell and does her special someone have the other half?_

Gobber took notice of Aarne's budding envy over this new "special someone" in her life. "Alright! Well with weapons sharpened, you'll all be glad to know you won't be needing them for today's lesson, so let's get going!" He walked out the forge and led the others away to the arena, Aarne gazing at Hiccup before making his way with the others.

With them gone, she went back to the study, grabbed the saddle, putting some tools and essentials into her satchel and ran off to the cove to meet her special secret.

...

He waited. Patiently waiting for her return. Excitement and curiosity ruled over him with every noise alerting him to her return perhaps. The thought of her riding him still fresh on his mind, he contemplated what it stood for. They were about to embark on something none had ever dreamed of doing.

_Humans riding dragons, it's impossible, right?_ She was so small, how could she possibly manage to fly him. Their first trail flight wasn't a very good indicator for future sessions, he was anxious.

"I'm back," she crawled under the shield, a large brown object to her back. "I got something for you."

He lifted himself as she made her way to him, pulling a saddle into his line of sight, "Ta-da."

He stared at it than at her as she pressed forward to him. _You may have my trust,_ he wriggled his hind legs and arched his spine lower, _but you gotta earn this ride!_ He pounced away from her as she got closer. She gave him a confused look, seeing the widening grin on his face when he stopped and repeated his taunting dance.

Hiccup's lips formed a devilish smirk as she paced to him, "So you wanna play that game, huh?" That said, he ran off in the other direction.

"Hey!" she chased after him, saddle held above her head. "Toothless, get back here!" He continued his teasing game of cat and mouse and while he disliked the idea of being the mouse, having her hunt him down like a pent-up little wildcat, gave him satisfaction.

Hiccup had never had so much fun before. For years, she had to keep all her built up frustrations and fears bottled up. It had been so long since she felt so carefree and savored happiness. With Toothless dashing and her following, her woes faded. All she could think about was catching him, beating him at his little game. Distracted by his run, she hid behind a few large boulders and waited for the right time to strike.

He made a full lap around the cove before he realized she had vanished. He looked around trying to find her. "_Hey! Where'd you go!"_ he sent out a firm roar, slowing to a halt. The smile on his face vanished, he felt alone. _Did I go too far with this game? She left..._ his ears wilted down. Her scent still laced the air but it wasn't enough to calm his nerves. He felt defeated.

Realizing his distraction, she pounced on him, placing her hand to his side. "Gotcha!"

Startled, he turned to her, a bright smile on her. His eyes dilated as he pressed his cheek to hers, _I'm sorry, no more games. Please don't leave me._ He gave out a mewling yowl rubbing their cheeks together.

His behavior surprised her, she was sure he'd be ticked off for being caught, instead he seemed upset from something. It dawned on her, "Oh Toothless, no-no I wasn't leaving you, I'm sorry. I just wanted to catch you, I won't leave you sweetie." She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him close. Even though Toothless was this big, strong being that struck fear into the hearts of man, he was still a fragile creature that held insecurities in his heart.

He let her warm embrace soothe him. For a moment, he lost her and it was the scariest thing. Far more frightening than man and the Red Death put together.

"It's okay, I'm right here," she cooed him relaxed as she felt his body loosen up. He felt safe with her. She was understanding and gentle. Sweet grass danced into his nostrils leading him to give off low humming purrs that vibrated Hiccup's neck. "Haha, that tickles, ha-ha." He lifted his head and allowed it to fall parallel with her forehead, "Feeling better?"

_Much._

She admired his serpentine orbs, "Guess what?"

_Hmm,_ he refused to move.

"Gotcha."

While he did enjoy being with her, he was still very competitive and a sore loser. Toothless pulled back and walked off with a disgruntled look on his features.

"Whoa whoa whoa whoa, where do you think you're going?" she followed his trail till he stopped and allowed her to fasten the saddle to his body. He may be a sore loser, but she won the game. Cheated by toying with his heart, but won nonetheless. Saddle strapped snuggly to his form, she pulled out the rope from her satchel and tied one end to the artificial fin and pulled it firmly to test the action. It moved.

"You know what Toothless. I've never mentioned who I am, have I?" she lifted herself on the seat and adjusted herself to a comfortable position. "My name's Hiccup and I'm the one who builds all those catapults you keep breaking."

Gaining the knowledge of Hiccup being the engineer to the weapons was alarming to say the least. She seemed like such an innocent girl, now she's telling him she makes war machines. It seems even before the incident, they were enemies yet they were similar. They were the protectors of their people. He destroyed. She created. Both for the benefit of their own kin.

Knowing this, he felt no anger. He had the architect within his grasp and with one swipe he could eliminate her, but he couldn't. She had her reasons to protect such as him. He understood her intentions, and for what it was worth, he forgave her for everything. She was good.

...

He spread his wings and with a powerful lift, he was gliding through the air. Off the ground, she tugged at the rope, forcing the fin open. The balance evened out as they managed over the body of water. She gave a firm pull to test the reaction of the fin as well as to gauge the applied force needed to produce a turning motion. The action pulled the entire tail, throwing Toothless off course leading to him landing into the cool morning water. With nothing to hold onto, Hiccup's body lunged forward into the shallow end of the pool. He swam to her, making sure she wasn't in too deep, but once he saw her lift herself up he relaxed.

"Okay, pulling from the arm, not the best approach. Let's try a more leveled angle but before that..." they walked out of the liquid and sat at the dry ground. Opening her satchel, she pulled out a square of leather, the tool kit, and some metal rings creating a belt. Taking off her vest and satchel, she fitted the belt to her midsection snuggly. Grabbing the rope, she looped the end around her ankle, climbing onto Toothless for the second time.

The flight was slightly smoother, being able to maneuver better and rise in altitude before they reached over the cove walls. She pulled on the rope, not so hardly this time and the fin fully opened. Outside the cove, they flew for some time till their speed and lack of control crashed them onto a field of tall sweet grass. The landing was soft. Hiccup managing to jump off of Toothless to avoid colliding with the ground. She looked around, the sound of loud purrs and wriggling behind her. Toothless was practically smitten, rolling around and nuzzling at the warm blades. The aroma rocked his senses, yet all he could smell was Hiccup. He imagined each plant fiber as her delicate fingertips dancing along his frame. She was sweet grass to him: warm, soft and made him feel at ease.

_Hiccup,_ he smiled widely, tossing. Basking in the sunshine and scent.

"You like sweet grass huh?" she tore a few blades off. _Dragon nip_.

Not wanting to disturb him and his pleasure, she walked off, trying to figure out how to apply more control onto the fin without applying too much force. She made it passed the fields of grass and to a stone rising. The chirps of birds and buzzing creatures filled the air, till the buzzing got louder and she realized she had heard this sound before.

To her left a wild Gronckle fizzed towards her, intent to strike in his demeanor. Reacting on instinct she froze and closed her eyes, lifting the hand with the clump of dragon nip out for protection. As the Gronckle drew closer, it slowed, its body relaxed by the smell of the grass on its snout. She could feel the hot breath of the Gronckle and opened her eyes to the sight of a unthreatening dragon. Scratching the grass onto its snout, its hind legs twitched before rolling over like an obedient pup.

A giggle escaped her lips at the reaction. It made sense to her now why the Gronckle in the ring was after her, she smelt of the dragon nip. The soft sound of her chuckle broke Toothless from his trance as he lifted his head and spotted her with a Gronckle.

"_Gronckle?_" he marched over to her side, eyeing the tranquil dragon beneath his paws.

The Gronckle looked up, slightly dazed before returning to attention, "_Excuse the unprofessionalism Night Fury, sir! I'll rid the girl._" He turned to Hiccup, snarling and bearing his teeth in aggression. She flinched, pulling her arm back and slowly stepping away as the Gronckle approached.

"_Lay a single claw on her and I'll rip those wings off your body, is that understood, solider?_" Toothless moved in between them, piercing his wild glare to the Boulder dragon. At the reaction, the Gronckle backed away, shock and disbelief laced his expression.

"_Yes sir! I mean, why sir? May I remind you that this is a human? Are you feeling alright, Night Fury? You've been MIA for three days, the hive is in chaos and now you're defending an unarmed Viking._"

He didn't want to show his fellow solider the saddle or the fin but felt no other way to explain his odd actions, "_Three days ago, I was shot down by this girl. Instead of killing me, she set me free. However,_" he brought his tail forward. "_I've been rendered grounded. In order to make amends, she's volunteered to assist me get back my flight. So I need her alive till then._"

"_Brilliant plan, sir. Gain their trust, then strike. I'll relay this information to the prince; he'll be pleased to know you're alive._"

"_No. Not a word to him. If he found out I've gained her trust, she'll be killed._"

"_But isn't that your strategy? If you ask me, it's like you don't want her to be killed._"

He held his ground, "_Exactly. There's more to her than meets the eye, I've seen it._" He turned over to Hiccup, shivering in fear as they grumbled in their dragon language. Slowly he paced towards her, gently rubbing his snout to her hair, earning him a soft hum. "_She's not one of them._"

The Gronckle observed, he was truly flabbergasted, here was the mighty Night Fury, cuddling next to a frail human girl. She seemed harmless. "_Come on, she doesn't bite,_" he slowly tip-toed to the girl. Closing the gap, he looked into her eyes. They were honest, friendly even. She gave Toothless a concerned look and once he reassured her it was safe, she held her palm out, placing it on the Gronckle's snout. He felt a connection, understanding where the Night Fury was coming from.

"_Alright, sir. This stays between us, but Red Death won't be pleased._"

"_Leave that to me when the time comes. For now, return to your duties._"

Hiccup raised her hand and petted the Gronckle several times before pulling back and walked to the stone rising. In her arms were rocks of various colors and sizes. Sniffing, the Gronckle figured them harmless and scarfed down a dozen. It had been so long since the Gronckle had a decent meal. The lack of self-control led him to continue munching on the stones till an ache in his belly forced an end to it. The cauldron in his stomach bloating with pain lacing its expression.

"_Bite off more than you can chew, pal?_" Toothless was having too much fun at the expense of the Gronckle's agony as it tried to release a fireball with fail.

Hiccup however, bent over to the Gronckle's belly, giving it a soft rub. "Are you alright? Stomach problems?" The circling of her palm under its belly churned the insides till they spewed out in the form of hot molten lava. Soon, the ground was covered in a thin layer of magma, cooling slightly from the cool air. Panicked, she climbed onto the Gronckle's back which didn't seem to mind considering the mess. Once she was certain it was safe to get down, the metallic shine of the cooled lava caught her attention. She reached down and placed her fingers onto the smooth alloy. Carefully lifting it, she was amazed at how light it was despite its fair size. Moving it close to the grass, the edge cut at the blades with ease like warm butter.

"Interesting, it's like iron, only lighter and stronger," she tapped the sheet to test the firmness. "Gronckle Iron."

Both dragons stared at her oddly as she marveled over the cooled formation of Gronckle barf. "_You're right, sir. There is more to her than beholds._"

Toothless simply nodded.

...

After a little more time with the Gronckle, Hiccup and Toothless glided their way back to the cove with a bit on a rocky landing. She carried the sheet of metal, amazed at its luster and durability. If she used this in her weapons, they'd be stronger and easier to carry. She felt terrible all of a sudden. For years, she had been designing machines to harm, even kill dragons. Now, she was learning about them. Interacting with them on a personal level, closer than any other Viking before her. They had killed hundreds of her kind and they killed countless of them, all for the sake or recourses and dominance.

"Toothless," she placed her hand on his neck. "I can't take back the centuries of pain my people have brought to yours, but for what it's worth, I'm sorry."

He nuzzled close to her, _Me too, Hiccup. I'm sorry._

She stared down at the Gronckle Iron, then to the wooden shield to the entrance. A thought crossed her mind, she didn't need to go to dragon training anymore, but she still needed to defend herself. "I'm thinking of making a shield to defend myself with. Do you think it's alright if I use this?" she lifted the sheet.

Even with him so close, she nearly got hurt; he needed to pay more attention around them. From now on, she wasn't just protecting him. Out there, he needed to protect her. One human to him he could handle. He worried she wouldn't be so lucky with another wild dragon.

"_Oh course, I want you to be safe when I can't be there to help you,"_ he gave her a firm call to signal his approval. The sound of his bellow echoed in her ears and for some reason felt she needed to imitate the chatter. She cupped the side of her mouth and from the back of her throat, gave a low howl. The sound branched out to a near similar roar of a Night Fury. Slightly off, but close enough for him to be genuinely dumbfounded.

"Still needs a little work, huh?" she pet his forehead and paced towards the fish basket, vest and satchel. She took the belt off and laid it against a stone. "I've got a few adjustments to make on the pull system and shield, but I'll be back in a few hours. See you in a bit Toothless."

''_Hiccup!_'' he gave a hearty bark. She turned over to the sensation of a wet tongue to her face, _Gotcha._

...

When Hiccup returned to the forge, it was afternoon. She put the Gronckle Iron over the hot coals in a metal tub to collect the molten liquid and began working on an upgraded shield. She was a good half way done with it, only needing to coat it in the Gronckle Iron, till Gobber arrived.

"Nice to have you in the shop, Hiccup. Thought you'd be at the arena to see the training. Of course, if you were, you'd see how great Aarne performed in the ring."

She shot him an irritated scowl, not in the mood to hear what had gone down in the arena or Aarne.

He caught her expression and got the message, "Eh, shame about that. So, what are we makin'?"

Her demeanor lighted as she turned over to show him her newest project, "What do you think?"

Gobber stared at the shield, it seemed alike to any other shield he'd seen before. "All this work for a shield?"

"Well, it's not just a shield," she pulled on a back lever, a grappling line releasing and wringed around him. With his weight clearly outmatching hers, she slide towards him as the line tightened. There was a bit of an awkward silence as they both stood close together before she released the line and it retracted back to the central hub of the shield.

"Handy."

"If I can't fight dragons, I have to defend myself somehow," she turned over to continue her work.

Gobber didn't like the fact Hiccup and Aarne managed to grow farther apart since the incident. He knew it ate at Aarne pretty deep and now with the revelation she had someone special in her eyes, it troubled him. "You know Hiccup, Aarne's just looking out for you. He's trying to keep you safe."

"I know, but the problem is I can't trust him as far as I can throw him. He's been keeping tabs on me for who knows how long. I can take care of myself."

It was a fair answer. Gobber understood how she might have felt wronged; he just hoped they could mend the situation before it was too late. "Well, I'll leave you to it, imagine you'll be in here quite a while. Too bad really, you should of seen Aarne bash that dragon..."

The thought of Aarne harming a dragon now upset her. Three days ago, it was the standard. Now, getting to know Toothless and the wild Gronckle, her opinion of Aarne wasn't in the kindest of thoughts. She shot Gobber a grim stare.

"I did it again didn't I?"

"It's not you Gobber, it's just...I wish things weren't so complicated."


	12. Chapter 12

_Hello again. In this chapter, someone learns Hiccup's secret. Next chapter to be posted in three to four day's. Posting this chapter 5-16-2014. Please enjoy & thank you for your time._

...

Dipping her artist brush into a small round palette, Hiccup stroked the image of a Night Fury onto her shield. The flat black pigment contrasted beautifully with the shine of the Gronckle Iron. Looking over the painting, she purposely left out one fin, a perfect homage to Toothless. She turned over from her work table to the set of assorted powders, looking for a suitable color to represent his artificial fin.

She narrowed it down to red and blue. Red evoked strength, courage, and danger. Blue stood for wisdom, freedom and trust. She thought to who Toothless was to her. He was stubborn as well as determined. Overall a mystery, still unknown.

'_He's defiantly a 'red flag',_' she smirked, lifting the crimson dust from its pot. Placing clean water into the porcelain bowl, she washed away the black pigment. Clear of black paint, she poured some red pigment into the dish, adding a few droplets of walnut oil before mixing. Once the powder and oil combined into paint, she dunked the bristles and shaped the fin to the surface of the metal. With the project complete, she took an overview of it in its entirety. Metal coated the face in a fanning pattern, concealing the cut edges in the wood which held a crossbow. A secret compartment on the rim held a mini catapult and the hub equip with a grappling line. It was a weapon within armor. She couldn't fight dragons, but at least with this she'd have self-defense.

"Looks good. What's that new metal you've been working with?" Gobber leaned by the doorway.

"I'm calling it 'Gronckle Iron', because of its toughness. It's strong but doesn't add weight like regular metal," she said walk towards him, shield in hand. "You're welcome to the rest if you'd like."

"I might just take you up on that offer," he gazed at the icon. He had never seen a dragon of its likeness. It gave off an enigmatic vibe, he couldn't put his finger on it. "So, what now?"

Hiccup trailed to the saddle and fin. She needed to be able to stay atop of Toothless as well as wear gear to keep her strapped. Pulling the fin open was the easy part, the goal now was to gain control of the movements. "There's been something I can't quite figure out on my own. Do you think you could help me out with it?"

He smiled. He loved her questions, "Of course! Fire away."

"Okay, so remember yesterday how we had a talk about flight and fins?" Gobber gave an assuring hum. "I wanted to replicate the movements, and so far I've figured out the force needed. But I'm still having problems gaining control over it," she began pacing around the forge. "I've tried using high movements but the angle was off, so I used a more balanced angle but the movement was too forceful and lagged. I fix one problem while gaining another."

Gobber thought for a while. Lately Hiccup was showing interest in flying, which wasn't too odd. Everyone at some point or another dreamt of it. To touch the clouds and have that sense of freedom like on other. He mused over her findings, "Have you tried a pulley system for the stability? See, pulleys station in place while allowing rope to glide with minimal effort. It's like hoisting a sail, it lets you change directions depending on how the force is applied."

She eyed Gobber with amazement, drinking in all he had to say. To some, he might have had a few screws loss, but not to Hiccup. He was ingenious. Teaching her all she knew about smithing and leather work and apparently, she still had much more to learn. "Yes, a pulley system could work perfectly. Here, let me draw out what I'm working on."

Without going too much into detail, like helping a dragon-fly again, she drew the basic shape of her current system. With a few modifications, they were able to come up with a design that mobilized via foot levers. Thin, flexible cables replaced bulky rope and small metal pulleys would allow swift changes in directions. They stared in awe at the ingenuity of the piece, combining simple machines to form a device of mobility.

"Woo, this was a doozy," Gobber went over to sat down. He was enjoying the mental exercise, it was much more exhausting than physical combat. When he and Hiccup were on the ball, they went at it till the end.

"Yeah, but it's a flawless design," she was panting from the vigorous brain stimulation. "It's aerodynamic and light. Thank you so much for the help, Gobber."

"Don't mention it. There is one thing I want to ask. Why the sudden interest in flight?"

She bit her lip. She trusted Gobber more than anyone, but how could she tell him she was using this to help the enemy. It was difficult.

"I've been thinking about possible human flight?" she was more so convincing herself rather than Gobber. "If we found a way to harness the ability to fly, imagine the opportunities it brings. Shorter travels, double the trade maybe even global exploration." She looked out to the bright blue morning sky, "There's an entire world out there, just waiting to be discovered."

Hiccup had persuaded herself much better than she anticipated, a warm smile on her face. Her morning fishing trip really broadened her horizon. No more was Berk her beginning and end, the world was her oyster. Far off lands and people with cultural gaps. She wanted to bridge them of all and become more in touch with what the world had to offer her.

He stared at her wondering eyes, full of dreams and hopes. How could he possibly tell her that her role as heir would deny her this new ambition? The goal of winning her father's heart, pushed to the side to reach for this impossible desire. He couldn't shatter her hopes, she was still young. For as long as he could allow it, he'd let her pipe dream.

"That sounds like an incredible thought. I'll be rooting for ya," he hopped up making his way besides her to eye the bright endless blue.

...

With the new modifications complete, Hiccup went home to grab her document tube to store the cables and other gear needed for the saddle. On her way back to the forge, she could hear the echoing mutters of a familiar voice. She paused, listening for the source of the sound, making her way towards the well. Peeking inside, her heart nearly skipped a beat from the sight.

"Gustav!? What are you doing down there?!"

He lifted his head, his lower half submerged. Thankfully the well was still shallow despite the past two days of rain. "You know, hanging out," he sighed looking up to Hiccup.

No doubt in her mind, Snotlout had a hand in this. If he wasn't tailing Aarne, he was picking on defenseless Gustav. "Hold on, I'll grab the rope and pull you up," she searched for the rope and bucket usually by the well but found it to be missing.

"Don't bother looking for the bucket, Snotlout threw it down here," he held out the bucket and rope to verify his claim. Sometimes Snotlout's pranks were outright horrid. Hiccup was steaming, he had no right to bully Gustav.

"Toss the bucket end to me, I'll fish you out." He complied and after two failed attempts to throw it to her, she finally caught the bucket and pulled the rope up to the surface. With the rope in hand, she held onto it firmly. "Tie the end around your waist and when I start pulling, you start climbing up the wall."

He did as told, forming a tight knot and fitting himself through it to his midsection, "Got it!"

Confirmed he was secure, she began tugging at the rope slowly railing him in, placing her left foot to the stone well for leverage. She could feel her skin bruising from the pulling as well as from the rope burn. It hurt, but letting go would send Gustav back to the bottom of the well and she couldn't let that happen. Seeing his helmet as Gustav drew close to the edge, she held her blistered hand out and Gustav reaching for it. She pulled him out forcefully, knocking her to the ground with him atop her in her arms.

They were both panting. Hiccup's arms and hands felt sore and Gustav's back and legs pulsed wildly. Catching her breath she asked, "What happened?"

Gustav held his head low, "I was walking by this morning and accidentally bumped into Snotlout. I told him I didn't mean it, but he said I need to learn respect. So he threw me down the well and tossed the bucket inside just for an added measure."

Her heart sank. She knew what it was like to be picked on, ridiculed for being small and weak, it hurt. Sometimes it was verbal, other times it was getting stones thrown at her when the adults weren't looking. The harassment usually came from the Snotlout and the twins. Throughout her childhood, she never voiced out her suffering, feeling she was partially to blame for the treatment. She was different. But Gustav, he was like them. He wanted to be one of them, he was one of them. It wasn't the way he was supposed to be treated.

She tightened her arms around him, "I'm sorry."

He sank into her embrace, he hated being treated like a nobody. Like a 'hiccup' almost. He could only imagine what she had to go through growing up. She loosened her hold on him and lifted the two of them up. His pants were soaking wet and his fingers were wrinkled like prunes. "Is your mother home?" she asked looking to his eyes as they turned away.

"No. She's out to find the nest with the others."

She stayed silent for a moment, "Are you alright on your own?"

"It gets lonely sometimes, but I'll be fine," he shook the excess moisture from his pants, still dripping. "Thanks, Hiccup."

"No problem. Please promise me you'll head home and dry off, I wouldn't want you getting sick," she didn't want him to go through the same cold she had yesterday. She bent to his height so their eyes were leveled.

"I will." He started walking off before turning back and placed a quick peck on her cheek, "Thank you for everything, Hiccup." He smiled, running off home leaving Hiccup surprised but beaming sweetly from his action. Gustav was a kind child, she was sure he'd grow to be a kind man. Lifting herself up, she retrieved her document tube and pressed to the forge to collect her gear.

Not too far off, Aarne watched closely over the two of them. He was shocked when she pulled Larson out from the well but burned with seething jealousy at the sight of their embrace. Even more so envy boiled over when he kissed her. It was a little peck, but it was enough to send his emotions overboard.

He was only passing by and happened to spot her. Questions began spiraling his mind. Who was her 'special someone'? Was she feeling better? What was she up to? He wanted to find out, but keeping an eye on her was what got him on her bad side. _I should have just kept my mouth shut_, he constantly told himself. Now seeing her and Gustav so cozy caused him to wonder, _Is he...no. It was a friendly kiss. Even he has more of her friendship than I do._ For know, he'd try not to let this bother him. He had more important things to attend to. He needed to talk with Gobber, but first he needed to let out some steam. He lifted his axe and made his way to the forest.

...

Hiccup made her way to the cove and peeked inside. Toothless was napping, curled into a tight ball. Before reaching the cove, she practiced her Night Fury howl softly. '_Here it goes,_' she thought as she crouched under the shield. She straightened her posture, took in a deep breath and let the call slide out of her mouth naturally. It echoed off the stone walls, bouncing the Night Fury cry back and forth.

Toothless shot his head and scanned the perimeter. There she was, a glowing smile on her face knowing she mastered his call. He ran to her side, eager to continue with their training. She giggled as he nuzzled his snout to her tresses, "Haha, I missed you too buddy." She walked over to a boulder and set down all the items she carried with her: the fish basket, the document tube and her shield. Turning to face him, she unbuckled the saddle to add-on the modifications.

Taking it off, he lifted his hind leg and twitching at the air. Noticing this she laid the saddle to one side and planted her palms to his backside. She scratched behind his neck, letting her nails graze the scales on his body. He purred and leaned into the motions, the sensation of her blunt talons gentle massaging his collar felt heavenly. He thought back to the fawn when he followed her and how it seemed so entranced by her touch. He understood why the little guy kept begging for more.

_Oh yeah, right there. Yeah. Little faster, baby,_ his voice rumbled in ecstasy, her fingertips frisking his armor for his weak spots. He lifted his neck, leaning onto her caress. With the underside of his nape exposed, she took one of her hands and lightly rubbed the area with one touch. It was enough to take his breath away. His eyes rolled back as his lids closed, his muscles slacked and he landed flat on the ground. He took a relaxing catnap, cooing the whole time.

Realizing he was taking a siesta, Hiccup unpacked the modifications and assembled them to the saddle. She worked slowly, still managing to finish before he arose. Looking over to his sleeping form, she took out her sketchbook and drew his sleeping face. He seemed at peace, like nothing in the world could get him down. She took several renderings of him before he stretched up. "Welcome back. Enjoy yourself?" she chuckled as she finished the last sketch.

_Hey don't blame me, you've got the magic touch,_ he snorted.

Closing her book, she opened the basket of fish, lifted the new saddle and strapped it to his form. While he gorged on his meal she fastened the cables to the fin than onto the foot pedal. She tested the movement by lowering and raising the pedal and sure enough, the fin fanned with minimal effort. _Gobber, you're a genius._

"Ready to take this for a test drive?" she gave him a firm pat to his side.

He took the final bite of his meal and licked his jowl, _Let's do this._

...

With the rope she had used to pull the fin, she fastened it to a short log near a cliff just off the cove. The wind was picking up, bringing the warm airs of the east. They had a perfect view of the bittersweet golden hour. Toothless spread his wings when Hiccup climbed on, allowing the breeze to lift him off the ground. It wasn't flying, but it was much safer than their previous test and fall sequence. Getting comfortable, she angled her left heel downward on the pedal. The action gave off a click before opening the fin. She marked it onto a sheet of paper she clipped to Toothless' saddle. Changing angles, she was able to mark six different positiosn which either angled their flight pattern or closed and opened the prosthetic. They felt confident they had made significant progress in a single day.

He closed his wings and soaked in the warm glow of the setting sun. The colors of the sky changing from aquamarine to citrine. If he could pause this moment, with no one other than Hiccup around, he could die a happy dragon.

"One more run?" she placed her palm to his collar.

He opened his wings once more. A powerful gust of wind whistled past their ears before the sound of a snapping line broken their concentration. Toothless let out a loud roar as his body flew back into the forest. Lifting himself, he heard a soft wail coming from Hiccup as she dangled from his saddle. She tugged at the line connecting her and the saddle. The metal hook connecting her by her riding belt clamped shut.

"Oh great." She lifted herself and tugged at it once more, to no avail. "Looks like we're stuck together, bud."

They slowly made their way to the cove by foot, the forest too dense and the wind too strong to fly around. It was mostly quiet out, with the occasional song of a cricket would come and go. It was once they were closing in on the cove did they feel the earth tremble beneath them. They stood still, Toothless giving out a low growl, "What is it?"

_Nothing good._

Whispers echoed in the air which had gone flat. The hushed sounds were drawing nearer to them. Suddenly the sound stopped. The silence seemed to last for hours till the earth exploded from underground, revealing a dragon with rotating fangs and piercing white eyes. Hiccup was frozen. She remembered this dragon from the manual, "Whispering Death."

Toothless tensed at the mention of its name. He was prepared to strike before he realized he and Hiccup were attached together. If he instigated, he'd run the chance of putting her in danger. He had to think quickly.

He wasn't quick enough as the Whispering Death launched its spines at them. Toothless managed to yank Hiccup out-of-the-way but not without taking a spine to his hind leg. He let out a roar in aggression rather than pain, "_You got some nerve shooting at me, Death!_"

"_Don't flatter yourself, Fury. I was aiming for the child,_" it swirled its thin tail slowly.

Toothless let his anger overwhelm him. It was one thing to threaten his life but nobody messed with Hiccup, not while he was around. He lunged forward and tackled the Whispering Death to the ground, Hiccup still attached to him. He kept to his right side, blocking her from the sharp spinning teeth and spikes of the Whispering Death. She tried to stay away, but they kept tumbling around. Toothless flapped his wings, trying to get airborne but with no lucky.

"_What's this? Human break your fin?_" it taunted. While in midair, the Whispering Death lashed its tail to Toothless. Sending him back several feet, he shielded Hiccup with his wings was they collided with a large tree. The impact pushed the spine on his leg further into his flesh while Hiccup's head ached. He opened his wings. She was alright, for now. Still on the hunt, the Whispering Death tunnel underground.

Silence.

Hiccup began to panic. Not just for her life, but for Toothless'. He couldn't get away or fight with her around. She was in his way. Before she could lift herself, the whispering returned. Growing closer to them. It emerged once more, flailing its tail like a whip, "_Just let me kill her. I'm sure she'll make a suitable meal for the prince, scrawny as she may be._"

He couldn't lift himself up, his leg in too much pain to apply pressure. He could blast it, but he had a limited number of shots and at this range he could easily hurt Hiccup. The Whispering Death drew close, fast. Unleashing its rings of fire at the both of them. Toothless braced himself, trying to wrap his wing around her but the Whispering Death's flames were too close. He felt the heat wave engulf his body.

...

Giving a satisfied growl the Whispering Death circled around as the smoke cleared, "_Should have just let me kill her, now she's burnt to a crisp, haha._" Just when it was sure it was victorious, the sting of a rock collided with its eye. Taken aback, it looked down to the Night Fury, a round shiny disk over it. Underneath it, the girl was alive, unmarked by its flames. It grew angry. This human had the nerve to attack it. Not for long.

Toothless stared in awe. She was alive. Her shield protecting her from its fire. "You okay, bud?"

He couldn't answer, he was too entranced by her sudden change in demeanor. Usually she was timid and gentle. Now she had a fierce look in her eyes. She was scared but she was ready to protect herself and to his shock, him.

The Whispering Death roared, darting at them. Hiccup held her ground, she wasn't going to allow this dragon to push her or Toothless around. She'd defend him with her life if need be.

The light from the setting sun bounced off her shield and onto the eyes of the oncoming dragon. It stopped in its tracks, wailing in pain, "_My eyes!_"

_It doesn't like the light,_ her eyes widened.

"_You wretched little witch! Enjoy that shield because I'll be tearing it off your body soon!_" furious, it stormed to her.

She didn't know what to do, the sun and its angle couldn't reach the dragon and she was running out of time. The Whispering Death lowered itself to the ground and dragged its spiny body along the hard sediment. Hiccup lowered her shield and let it fall to the ground. Toothless watched in horror as the shield bounced several times, "_HICCUP!_"

She extended her palm out. Sensing the drop of the shield via earth vibrations it stopped near her hand. It took several sniffs and sneezed, "_Ugh, sweet grass._"

"I'm not afraid of you," Hiccup's voice was firm while still holding that sweetness Toothless knew so well.

The Whispering Death was confused, _What is she talking about? Of course she is. I'm a Whispering Death._

With the Whispering Death so close, Toothless launched forward and locked his jaw onto its tail. The loud roar of the Whispering Death echoed in the air. It flailed around, lifting both off the ground. After a while, the Whispering Death tired out. Hiccup and Toothless landed on the ground, covered in dirt and leaves. She panted wildly, Toothless still attached to the Whispering Death. "Toothless, let it go! Now!" she pulled on his neck.

He refused to let go, even tightening his jaw strength on the tail. The only thing on his mind was protecting Hiccup. She wasn't strong physically but she had the kindest of hearts. Even after the Whispering Death attempted to kill her, she refused to let any dragon get hurt. "_I'll let her go when her cold dead body is between my teeth._"

"Toothless. Please, let go," she pet his nape softly, whispering faintly. "I don't want there to be any more bad blood between our kinds. This isn't worth hatred." Hiccup felt like a hypocrite, she had done the same to Aarne. He was only doing his job, and she snapped at him for it.

The Whispering Death overheard her words. She wasn't interested in harming dragons? From the hives' teachings, all humans were born with the natural instinct to kill. Red Death warned of interactions with them. He told them to kill them on sight, for their own protection. This girl, she wasn't trying to kill her. If anything she was protecting the Night Fury, and now her. It was a noble act, a reckless act but still humane. She was loyal to those in need, a protector. A small human was protecting her from a Night Fury, one she risked her own life for. If a dragon was one thing, it was honor bound and she'd trust this human.

Toothless released the Whispering Death slowly. A fresh bite mark on its scales. She curled her tail close and lay motionless for some time.

Hiccup stroked Toothless, still growling at the injured dragon in front of him. He turned over to look at Hiccup, his eyes dilating and his expression softening. He let his anger dictate his actions and it nearly cost her life. He leaned into her touch, "Hey bud, you had me so worried there for a while. Good to see you're still you." They stared into each others eye's, he felt calmer.

"_While I hate to interrupt, whatever this is, I have a question,_" the Whispering Death groaned.

Toothless looked over to her, still aggravated, "_What?_"

"_Who's she?_"

At first he thought the Whispering Death was referring to Hiccup till he noticed her white eyes on something behind them.

They all looked behind, Hiccup gasped deeply, "Gothi."

...

Gothi had been gathering herbs when she had heard the loud cries of dragons. She looked over to the far side and witnessed a black dragon slam into a tree. Held in its wings, was Hiccup. She watched as fire hauled towards her body. She ran to her but stopped once she saw the flames glide off to the side from a metallic shield Hiccup pulled forward from her back. There was a second dragon, a Whispering Death. Hiccup launched a rock to its face and it dug under before trailing to her. Gothi was in utter disbelief when the dragon halted just from Hiccups raised palm. When the black dragon took a bite onto the Whispering Death's tail, sending it and Hiccup flying in the air attached to each other her eyes widened. She thought this couldn't get any more strange till she witnessed Hiccup relax both dragons.

Both still, till they all turned to her.

She was speechless, more so than usual. In all her years' she never dreamed of this, a dragon and a human working together. Slowly, she made her way towards Hiccup, a look of terror on his face.

"Gothi, please, let me explain," she began, pushing Toothless to the side. "I shot down this dragon. But when it came down to it, I couldn't kill him. I'm helping him get back home. They're not monsters. I'm sorry for everything, but please don't hurt him or the Whispering Death!" Her knees fell to the ground as she hid her face. Tears of shame rolled down her eyes. Here the village elder, authority to the tribe equal to her father, now knew her secret. She was waiting for something. Rocks, a slap, even bitter silence, but not a soft tiny palm to her forehead. She looked up to Gothi, smiling kindly.

Gothi knew Hiccup was special, she wasn't one to harm or hate. The future rested on her shoulders, it was a heavy responsibility. Witnessing her shield a dragon, one harmed by another proved to her Hiccup was not just a protector of her people. She was a defender of those in need of it, human and dragon alike. Hiccup couldn't kill, it was easy to kill. It was much harder to forgive and trust. Hiccup gained that from the dragons and her.

She traced her staff onto the ground. Hiccup stared at it, only understanding "Change" and "Destiny". The Whispering Death leaned forward to the elderly woman and young girl, reading the writings on the earth before inscribing her own.

'_Do you honestly believe this child can change the destiny of man and beast?_'

It took a moment for Gothi to process that the dragon was communicating with her in ancient tongue via its tail. Once she composed her mind, she spoke back in etch, '_Yes, but not alone. She has him._'

'_The Night Fury? Some men may change, but not all. And certainly not all dragons._'

'_True. I can sense a powerful shift in the world. I believe it begins with them._'

The Whispering Death and Gothi stared at each other and gained an understanding, they were both old and had seen the harshness of their kind. The olden ways it seemed, were fading.

Hiccup rose as both Gothi and the dragon chatted, till they both stared at her and Toothless. Both then inscribed the word "Secret". Her eyes blinked several times, making sure she read correctly. Gothi was going to keep this to herself.

Gothi knew the consequences of such act of treason. Hiccup would be stripped of her name, home and life on Berk. Sent out into the world to die. And that was if the village was generous to her. Consorting with the enemy like this, she'd be beheaded, her body torched for all to see. Hiccup didn't deserve such acts. Her fate was yet to come.

Easing up, Hiccup raised her palm to the Whispering Death who allowed her to touch its snout. With her other hand, she took Gothi's palm and slowly connected both elders together. They felt that instant connection, the link in kinship. Dragons and humans were never meant to be enemies.

"Thank you, Gothi. You won't regret this," she reached out for Toothless who purred softly. "You wouldn't happen to have a knife on you to cut this cable, would you?"

Gothi shook her head before reading the inscription the Whispering Death had left, '_They've been like this since I met them. Strange things these youngsters do._' She gave a cheeky chuckle before Gothi tapped her staff to her head.

She motioned for Toothless and Hiccup to follow, the Whispering Death following behind. Taking a step, Toothless groaned. Noticing his pain, Hiccup turned over to see the spine deep in his flesh, "Oh no, you're hurt." She placed her hand on the spine, looking over to him. He gave her a nod and with that she pulled it out. There was no blood, but it left a deep indentation in his leg. "I'm so sorry," she raised out to hold him.

_The important thing is you're safe._

...

They had reached Gothi's hut before the sun disappeared. She treated Toothless' and the Whispering Death's wound before turning to Hiccup's blistered palms. Before she could treat them, Toothless ran his tongue on them, healing them before their eyes. She explained to Gothi that her injuries from the previous day were gone thanks to him, which she was grateful for. After a few more words and the sky turned dark, Hiccup and Toothless crept out into the night, leaving Gothi and the Whispering Death to chat over old times.

"Hiccup," a man passing by greeted her as he made his way home. She waved to him before pulling Toothless along to the forge unnoticed. When they entered the forge, it was quiet, Gobber was most likely sound asleep upstairs. Toothless placed his head into a bucket. Once realizing it was empty he tossed it to the side, clanging swords and tools together.

"Shush," Hiccup hushed at him with her finger to her lips. They made their way further in, shielded from view. With the little moonlight that crept in, she grabbed an old metal file and tried to pry the closed hook open.

She was nearly complete when the sound of a familiar voice called to her, "Hiccup? Are you in there?"

It was Aarne. This was not a good time but she couldn't allow him inside. She hushed to Toothless once more as she put on an apron and climbed out the window, closing it behind her as she exited.

"Aarne. Hey. Hi Aarne. Hi Aarne. Hi Aarne," she grinned trying not to look too suspicious. "What can I do ya for?"

He wasn't too sure what to say. She seemed nervous. "About yesterday night, I'm sorry," he began. "I should have respected your privacy. I need to draw a line between following an order and letting you be."

She looked to him. She had said some terrible things to him, he didn't deserve that. Hiccup had let her angry guide her words. He was only doing what he was told, and she snapped at him for it. "Yeah, me too. I was kind of a jerk. You were only doing what you were asked to." She looked up to him, the moonlight shining in her eyes, "Do you think you can forgive me?"

He was lost in the glow of her eyes. She felt bad for what she had said. He wanted nothing more than for them to regain their friendship, still wanting more than that from her. He looked to the shell around her neck, "I forgive you. You know, I don't just look out for you because your father asks."

Blinking her eyes a few times, she didn't understand what he meant. What other reason would there be?

Toothless was peering over the side the entire time, still out of sight from the young man talking to Hiccup. He stood tall, dominating. He looked exactly like a Viking and he held in a growl. This was the type of Viking he hated. The kind that killed without a second thought.

Studying his body language, his eyes widened when the Viking stepped forward to her, closing the gap between them. What made his insides heat up was when he realized the guy was leaning in to kiss her. There was something about this gesture that sent Toothless into jealousy overdrive. Hiccup didn't seem to see this coming, even leaning back when he approached her.

_She's mine!_ he had enough. Talking to her was barely acceptable, trying to steal a kiss from her was forbidden. Not wanting her lips to touch his, Toothless pulled himself away from the window. It pulled her back to the window, away from the young man and with a firm tug he pulled Hiccup through the window and to his embrace. He held her close, glaring at the still closed window giving a resentful snarl. He didn't know this human, but he already didn't like him one bit. Hiccup was his, and he wasn't going to allow a Viking pretty boy to take her from him. He motioned for her to climb onto his back which she obeyed fully, still confused from Aarne's actions and ran out the opposite end of the forge to the outside.

Opening his eyes, Aarne noticed Hiccup had disappeared. He turned side to side and then to the window. From the slight creak, he saw a tall dark figure, toxic green catlike eyes glowering at him. He had never seen those eyes before, they were dangerous. He lunged forward and opened the window but the shadow had vanished.

Hiccup was gone as was the shadow. Were the two connected?

...

Toothless ran through the forest like a jaguar, grumbling under his breath. Once they made it near the cove, Hiccup activated his fin and he flew into the high opening. Landing, she got off and gave a firm tug to the cable which was loosened enough for her to slip off the hook. The force had her fall to her behind. She laid there for a moment, thinking about the entire day. It was smooth at first, then got bumpy near the end. She sighed, it was an eventful day.

She flinched when Toothless placed his paws between her head, hovering over her. His chest puffed out and his breathing heavy. He wanted to protect her, hide her away from the world. She was his. He was a dominate creature and wanted her full attention. Their eyes met intensely, not separating for anything. She reached out under his jowl, "Thanks Toothless. I'm glad you're safe."

He loosened up. His eyes dilating and face softening. She wasn't leaving his side for anyone. "We should rest up. Tomorrow we start flying," she lifted herself and walked to her things. She gathered everything before making her way to the exit, Toothless seeing her out. Tossing the basket and document tube over the shield and rolling her Gronckle Iron shield under it, she bent under to exit. On the other side, she picked the items up and turned over to Toothless, patting his jowl and leaning in to give him a sweet kiss to his forehead. "Sweet dreams, Toothless."

She walked away, leaving his stomach fluttering with butterflies.

_They'll be sweet with you in them._


	13. Chapter 13

_Hello again. In this chapter, Hiccup learns to fight, fly and fall. The next chapter will be released in 7 days due to time scheduling and work. I do apologize for this, but it is out of my control. Posting this chapter 5-21-2014. Thank you and please enjoy._

...

He dreamt of never-ending fields of sweet grass. Each strand mildly gliding against his dark husk, curled a top the fibers while the sunshine warmed the subtle breeze. Toothless let out a satisfied sigh, letting his anxieties melt away. The sound of the gentle wind fifed his ears till the loving call of Hiccup roused him from his rest. Looking up, she was standing not too far off from him, the gale dancing in her russet hair. Her warm smile and forest eyes shone brightly welcomed him.

"Toothless," she raised her arms out.

He ran to her side, pressing his cheek to hers. She felt soft and held the fragrance of meadows. Extending her arms, she encased his neck to a caring embrace. His heart sped from her touch. He felt safe and cherished with her. They stayed like this for some time, allowing the air to fly around them till she released him and walked off in the distance. He trailed behind her yet with every step he took, she seemed to be moving farther from him. It was almost as if the air was weighting him down.

The aero heavens and sunglow suddenly turned ashed, grey clouds veiling the light. The world was dark. From the void, six eyes flashed, crimson with rage. Red Death slowly inched his head through the soot cloud, a fiery glow in his jaw. He looked over to Hiccup, her arms held out to him. His orbs scowled in disdain at her form. Toothless called out to her, pleading for her to return to his side but she was too far out to hear his cries.

He watched helplessly as molten fires escaped the tyrant's mouth, engulfing the meadows ablaze reaching Hiccup who remained motionless, burning alive. His insides cringed, he pulled his body towards her but couldn't move, his paws cemented to the ground. The only thing he could do was watch as his beloved sweet grass torched in front of his eyes. She slowly turned around to face him, a big smile plastered on her face. It wasn't the familiar delightful expression he loved, it was a sinister grin that stuck terror in his heart.

"Toothless," his eyes shot open from his nightmare. It was all a dream.

He rose up, panting heavily as he looked around for Hiccup. She wasn't there. The morning sky was barely fading to light blues. Her voice seemed so close, he could almost feel it. Yesterdays incident had him on edge. Hiccup had risked her life for him and when it came done to it, lowered her only means of defense. Sure, the Whispering Death had stopped, but what if it hadn't? Defense alone doesn't win battles. Hiccup needed to fight, a shield wouldn't protect her forever.

Toothless shivered the entire time. She was too trusting. Not all dragons would accept her open arms. He couldn't always be there to guard her from the world, the best he could do is give her the skills needed to survive. He'd train her to fight.

...

Hiccup stretched out her arms in a chipper mood. She couldn't remember a time when she felt so excited for the day to begin. She hopped out of bed, walked to the bathroom, undressed, and sank into the tub allowing the lukewarm water to kindle her spirit. Extending for the sweet grass cleanser, she looked at it closely before a thought occurred to her.

_All these years I've been cleaning myself with dragon nip._ She giggled at the thought. _Maybe I should switch it up,_ she placed the sweet grass back and grabbed a different bottle, _Seagrass_. While she loved the sweet grass cleanser, she wondered if it confused dragons like Toothless. Maybe he was only so trusting of her because she smelt of something familiar. She tried not to think about it as she lathered herself with the seagrass, lacing herself with the crisp scent of the ocean.

Finished with her bath, she dried off, dressed and headed downstairs to prepare breakfast. She had nutmeg porridge with nut milk topped mixed seed and raisins, a hash browned potato and turnip and a cup of white tea. Breakfast eaten and dished washed, grabbed the fish basket and satchel before walking out the front door. She made her way towards the docks, very few people were up so early which made it easier for her to get fish.

"Mornin' Hiccup," she smiled as Bucket and Mulch walk asides her to the pier. "Back for another fishing trip?"

"You bet. I really enjoyed it, you don't mind do you?"

"It's a pleasure havin' you aboard. Not many women enjoy fishing here, so it's nice to see someone take interest." They all boarded the vessel, Hiccup hoisting the sail and Mulch untying the boat from the dock. Once the sail caught the breeze, she sat beside Bucket and began rowing the oars. The action seemed easier than when she had done it yesterday, her arms building the strength needed to stroke the paddles. When they reached a suitable site, they dropped anchor and lowered the sail. "To be honest, Hiccup, you'd be the last person I'd guess to help with fishing, considering you don't eat any," Mulch said as he tossed the net into the water.

She knew how odd it must seem to them. Here she was, an herbavoire, fishing. "Well, I don't eat fish, but I know it's important to the village. Even though I'm different, I want to help out wherever I can," she looked to the waters below as she pulled one side of the net up.

Bucket held back a tear as he and Mulch listened to her. Hiccup helped in more ways than she realized. She helped keep inventory of the food storage, forged weapons and tools, designed machines, leather worked, helped out in the Great Hall for feasts, now she was fishing. It was a tall order for someone destined to become chief, once she claimed the title her work load would double. They rarely ever saw her turn down a request for anything if it benefited the tribe. She'd just smile and work her hardest. It was what was expected of her as heir, but was it what she wanted? They knew she loved working in the forge as well as leather mending, but she enjoyed art, literature and mathematics. Once she took her place as chief, those joys would be things of the past. It was disheartening, she had to grow up so quickly, and had little time to savor her freedom as a youth.

"Do you like fishing, Hiccup?" Bucket asked as they pulled the net full of fish onto the raft.

"Actually, I didn't when I was younger. Dad used to take me after mom disappeared, but I only wanted to ask questions and do other things. I don't think he enjoyed fishing with me because after a while, he just stopped taking me," she paused trying not to let the hurt in her voice show. "Now, I wish I spent more time fishing with him. I guess this is my way of making up for lost experiences." It was true, despite her real purpose for fishing was to fed Toothless, she wanted to go back and relive those memories. Maybe do things differently.

"For what it's worth Hiccup," Mulch rubbed her shoulder, "we've appreciated your company. You're an honorary fishermen in our book. Anytime you need to get away from it all, you're more than welcome to join us."

She smiled brightly, "Thanks guy. That means a lot to me."

"Here," Bucket went over to an old chest off to the side of the boat and pulled out an old blueprint. "This was my great-grandfather's fly rod design. He never got around to building it, neither did any of his kin. I want you to have it Hiccup, I know you'll make my great-grandpa proud."

She reached out for the parchment once the net was cast on the ship and the fish were placed in the baskets. It was a simple design. The rod consisted of separate ferrule ends that connected together, the handle elongated and curved to a hands natural grip. A hook keeper and three guides lead to the tip-top, all a lined perfectly for an accurate cast. An opening for a slim spool reel where tightening caps screwed it in place made for a smoother catch. The design was brilliant, light and elegant.

"Wow. Thanks, Bucket," she marveled at the draft. If she had a rod of her own, she could catch fish for Toothless herself without drawing too much suspicion. With the fishing complete, they returned to the island. Back on the pier, Hiccup was handed her ration and made her way to the forge to quickly make herself a fly rod.

...

Toothless waited restlessly, pacing back and forth before she entered the cove.

"Toothless," her sweet voice broke his trance. He bolted towards her, inspecting her closely. She looked alright, flesh still intact and not on fire. Her scent was different, like the sea. It still held a sweetness to it, confirming to him her natural aroma was earthy. He savored this new smell. If she had smelt of sweet grass, he may have panicked thinking his dreams could come true. Seagrass eased his worries a bit. "Good morning, you're up early. Excited about today's training?" she laid the basket of fish to the ground.

He nodded taking several bites out of a salmon. Lowering her document tube and shield, she walked over to the bucket and processed to water her garden. Checking on their leaves and weeding a bit before he finished his breakfast. He stood beside her and nudged her back slightly. She turned over, his eyes intense, _Flying can come later, right now, we spar._ He nudged her again, earning his a firm "No" but he persisted trying to get her to understand.

"Toothless, what is up with you today, it's like you wanna pick a fight with me," she pushed his snout away from her side. He gave her a firm nod, her head tilting to the side. Her eyes widened, "This is about yesterday when I dropped my shield."

_Yes_, he purred, bringing his snout to her palm.

She rubbed his snout and gazed into his eyes, "I'm sorry for worrying you. You wanna train me to fight dragons, right?"

He confirmed her suspicions by giving her a shove, knocking her to the ground, _You need to work on your balance._

Hiccup lifted herself up, she was used to getting knocked down and not fighting back. There was no way she'd be able to take down a dragon, let alone Toothless. He had the built of a fighter, she had her work cut out for her.

He lunged at her again. She dodged his attack but was sent to her backside by his tail sweeping under her. Hiccup got to her feet and held her little fist out. She wasn't expecting to actually hit him, but it was all she could do. His paws extended to her form in a swiping motion one after the other towards her. Ducking under every swipe, she leaned forward and delivered a punch to his left side. It was a miserable excess of a punch, almost ticklish to him, he had to hold back his desire to laugh but she notice. "Oh come on, it couldn't have been that bad."

_No you're wrong, it was hilarious!_ he let himself chuckle.

He could tell she really tried with that punch, but it was too adorable to be threatening. She puffed her cheeks and walked over to the document tube she carried with her and pulled out the handle end of her fly rod. She walked back to his still laughing form and gave a firm pat to his backside with her staff. He turned over, seeing her armed with something. It was serious now. He gave her a devilish smirk before he pounced at her again.

They wrestled, rolling around on the dirt after a few good hours of fight play. She would strike him with her rod; he would whip her side with his tail. He finally pinned her down, his paws holding her forearms. Toothless like this, seeing her struggle, not like the first time he held her down. Then, he intended to kill her and she just laid there ready to die. He wanted her to fight to survive and she was doing so now. Kicking his underside, growling for him to let her go. The look in her eyes wasn't fear or malice, it was joy. A huge smile on her freckled face. He regretted ever wishing harm to her. If he had eliminated her, he'd be trapped on the island, starve to death or maybe caught and killed by the other Vikings. Without her, he'd be lost.

Fidgeting beneath his grasp, she inched one of her arms free and raised it to his jowl. Giving it a hearty scratch, his knees buckled and spine tingled. Ready to fall, Hiccup pushed onto his chest forcing him to land on his side. With both arms freed, she dove a top of his laxed torso, pushing him on his back. He looked up to her as she pinned him. She may be small and weak but she was quick and clever, using his weak spot. He had to admit, she put up one heck of a fight. She'd block his attacks and advance with her cork and alloy staff. The hits weren't hard but they were solid enough for him to know she took the training seriously.

Hiccup giggled as their eyes met. She was relishing in the experience of standing up for herself, it felt good. She knew Toothless would never harm her and this was as much a game as it was practice. With him, she felt sound. "How'd I do?" she panted, rubbing his scales earning her a groan of acceptance and a twitching of his leg.

He softly wrapped his paws around her waist, _Not bad Hiccup, not bad at all._ Leaning forward as he lapped her face several times before she wiggled herself out of his hold.

"Toothless!" back to her feet, she wiped her face of his saliva, getting most of it off. He bellowed at her efforts as he got up, rubbing his snout on her hair. "Haha, alright then. Thank you," she cuddled his head. "Ready to fly?"

He positioned himself so she was directly in front of the saddle. Before she climbed on she grabbed the end of the fishing rod which she dropped as they wrestled and the rest of the document tube. She attached the tube onto his saddle with extra straps, parallel to his body. He gave it a curious look, "Don't worry, it's for later. For fishing." Hearing this brightened him up as she climbed aboard, taking to the skies.

...

"Okay there, bud, we're gonna take this nice and slow," she gave him a reassuring pat to his side. Low clouds traced the air as they glided on the current. She wasn't afraid of flying like the day she was sick, she could feel the breeze pull her hair back, whispering on her skin. Looking over her cheat sheet, she pointed over to a diagram she wanted to execute, "Here we go, Position: 3, no 4." She tilted the pedal, releasing the fin.

Toothless looked back, then grumbling towards the horizon, "_Let's do this._" He began to tilt his body, testing out he's maneuverability and gave a hard thrust forward flapping his wings. Hiccup turned over to view the fin. He motioned from side to side till it stabilized.

"Alright it's go time, it's go time," she pushed downward on his saddle, letting him know to head down. He let out a roar before guiding them towards the sea. She pressed to the saddle, the adrenaline in her blood pumping as she felt the change in altitude. For a moment she felt heavy, like the weight of the world was on her shoulders then the weight lifted and she became ethereal. Toothless dove close to the water, evening out and headed straight for a tall broken mass of land with a sizable gap under it. He sped up, tilting so his left-wing grazed the cool salty waters.

"Come on, buddy. Come on, buddy!" she encouraged him as they raced, nearing the gate. They looked up to the bridge connecting the gate, gulls flying above them as flicks of sea water caught the sunlight, casting an array of the spectrum. Hiccup beamed as they made it past the gate, "Yes it worked!"

They press onwards, Hiccup and Toothless heading straight for a pillar, too close for her to turn fully. Toothless braced himself, clawing at the rock and bouncing off.

"Sorry!"

"_Whatever,_" he groaned. Again, they collided with a neighboring column. She pulled back but it was too late, this time getting him on the side.

"That was my fault"

He flicked his ear to the side of her head in irritation, "_Attention! Pay it, Hiccup!"_

She shook her head, "Yeah, yeah, I'm on it. Position: 4, 3." She adjusted her foot before grabbing the rail on the saddle and pulling it up, he followed the motion and rose to the clouds. With several strong heaves, he was past the top of the mountains of Berk. He allowed his tongue to flop out, letting the taste of freedom and troposphere enter his mouth.

"Yeah! Go baby!" she felt the rush of adrenaline once more as they inched higher toward the heavens, passing the highest clouds. "Yes! Oh this is amazing! The wind in my..." before she could finish, the sheet of paper flew off the clip, free to fly off wherever the wind took it. "CHEAT SHEET!" She reached out for it, the hooks attaching her to the saddle holding her in place as the sheet rustle in the breeze. "STOP!" Right after she said that, she caught the parchment.

Toothless halted, thinking the altitude was too much for her. His wings spread he let the final amount of kinetic energy pull him forward. The action pushed the hooks off the supports, sending her into the air. It felt like an eternity before they both realized what had happened, their eyes catching each other. Their breaths paused and their eyes were wide in shock. As the next second went by, so did they.

"AAAHHH!"

"_HICCUP!_"

Toothless fell faster toward Earth, letting out calls of panic. Hiccup tried to balance herself out. The rush of it all faded quickly as terror engulfed her mental state, "Oh gosh! Oh Gods!" Balancing herself only send her hurling faster out of the heavens. She fell onto his wing, crawling at it to stay put, but the pressure from the plummet sent her sliding off instead. "Oh no!"

"_HICCUP! HANG ON!_"

He dove towards her, not yet balanced himself but the only thing on his mind was getting to her before it was too late. "Alright, no you kinda gotta angle yourself!" she called out to him as he spiraled near her. He tried desperately but couldn't, he had no control. His tail and wings whipping around for some sense of support. Dunking away from his tail she struggled to reach out for him, "Okay no no-no, come back down towards me! Come back down, Gwoow!" His tail collided with her face, sending her off course. Toothless turned to see her, her hand on her cheek. He struck her. From behind her, he could see the mountain top. They were running out of time.

Angling herself, she managed to return to course and glided towards Toothless. He managed to hold his angle long enough for her to reach out for the saddle. Hiccup stretched as far as she could, centimeters away from grabbing it. She finally managed to get a hold of the side, pulling herself to it and repositioning her body to a seating position. She placed the sheet between her teeth and grabbed hold if the saddle with both hands. Her body back on, she took one of the metal rings and hooked herself back on. They made it back together, now all they had to do was make it out of this alive.

With her foot on the pedal, she opened the fin, giving Toothless the stability to even out. They were coming in too hot, the forest line drawing closer with every millisecond. She pulled up, desperately trying to prevent them from crashing. Feeling this, Toothless spread his wings, slowing them slightly but not enough to stop them from accelerating any more than they already were. Up ahead, fog covered pillars of stone, it was either fall to the trees and die or head into the cloudy zone and die. Their options were limited.

"_DO SOMETHING!_" Toothless backed up slightly, still racing towards the rocks.

Hiccup pulled the sheet out from her mouth, examining her options. The paper flapped in the harsh wind, making it illegible. She wasn't too sure if it was right side up or what position was which, but she had to do something, fast. She looked up, meters away from the first stone towers. Her split second option: she tossed the paper aside and went with her instincts.

"_YOU DID NOT JUST...!_" he called out, hearing the sound of parchment in the breeze. A second later, he heard the click from the pedal and focused towards the walls of stone, _No turning back._

Despite the low visibility, they sped through the field of stones with so little as a scratch. Hiccup switching between gears and guiding the movements with tugs and pulls. Toothless flying all his focus forward, trusting Hiccup to get the both of them out safely. Passing several structures, ducking and rolling, they made it to a clearing, the fog slowly fading away. Soon they could see the blue skies, the sunshine kissing their faces. Hiccup had been panting the whole time. They did it. The realization and the rush swept her as she raised her fist to the heavens, "Yeah!"

Toothless, thrilled as he was, let out a plasma blast. A shot of blue light escaped his mouth, enveloping the air in front of them. He relaxed his paws and let his tongue hang loose as the azure light clocked them.

Her arms fell to the side as they headed straight for a ball of airborne fire, a disgruntled look on her face, "Come on."

They let the flames case their bodies, emerging reborn as one mind.

...

After their flight test, Toothless landed them by a bed of stone and long rock towers on the shoreline. They needed to rest up. She unhooked herself and placed her foot to the ground, her weight coming to her as she fell to the ground.

"That was fun," she panted on the cool solid ground.

_Define 'fun',_ he laid next to her, exhausted.

He looked to the ground then to the sea. If she had fallen to the ground, it would have been horrible but if she had fallen into the ocean, it would be terrifying. She couldn't swim. Falling to the ground, she'd die instantly. No pain. In the waters, she'd slowly drown, falling into the darkness of the blue. The though sent a shiver down his spine.

He got up and pulled at her shirt sleeve. She lifted herself as he motioned towards the waters, her sleeve still between his teeth. "Toothless, I can't."

He continued to tug at her clothing, careful not to tear it. She pulled it back and curled her legs, wrapping her arms around them and hiding her face. "I can't swim."

_I know, that's why I'm gonna teach you,_ he leaned forward and licked her bruised face. He didn't mean to strike her and he knew she understood it was an accident. He went behind her and pushed her up, leading her to the water line. It was until he let her go and raced forward to the waters that she realized what he was up to. She had never had anyone offer to teach her, it brought a smile to her face.

"Alright, but I can't go in like this. Give me a minute, you go on ahead," she turned back toward the rocks and proceeded to undress.

Toothless had let himself go into the waters, letting the cool tides sweep him away. He enjoyed swimming when he got the opportunity to do so, it was a change from flying. In the clouds he was weightless, his wings and fins doing all the work. In the waters, however, he let his powerful paws paddle him into the blue. He dove and returned to the surface of the water, turning towards Hiccup. His smile faded as he noticed her bare backside, ears falling. He could tell even from the distance they had between them that she was covered in spots from head to toe, like dark stars on a pale sky. She had feminine curves, hidden by her clothing. When she turned over, she bared a smile making her way towards him. He eyed her body slowly from her feet to her chest where his eyes stopped. He raced out of the water and to her, her right breast bruised darkly. He let his tongue out and wiped the area clear of it, Hiccup resisting and moaning slightly. Once the marking was gone, he looked into her eyes, pressing for her to explain.

She pressed her lips together before confessing, "The day I was bruised and cut, I was at the arena. It's where we..." She hesitated, but he knew what the arena was made for. He had heard stories from other dragons how Vikings would capture some of them and kill them for sport. She continued, "I was in training with other Vikings my age, but I was sick and not focusing on the lesson. One of them fell on me, bruising and cutting me, the one we met yesterday at the forge, Aarne."

He now had a name for the person who tried to steal Hiccup away from him. This pretty boy made it on his list of people he hated, his name right above the Whispering Death.

He gave out an aggressive snarl before Hiccup cooing him down.

"No-no, it was an accident. I wasn't paying attention. I didn't want to hurt dragons, I couldn't." She walked over to her satchel and pulled out an old book, "My mentor, Gobber, gave me this book after he told me I was to leave training. It holds all the information on dragons we know about." She flipped through the pages, releasing the smell of old blood of human and dragons. "My duty now is to classify and study dragons, but this, the Dragon Manuel shows you guys as demons. I want to change that because I know you aren't." Hiccup lowered the book and placed her hands to the sides of his face, "I'm gonna help show the world you're our friends, not our enemies."

He rubbed his face closer to her hands, he wasn't too happy she had gotten hurt but was glad to hear she wasn't going back there again. She didn't belong there. She belonged with him, by his side. He pulled back and motioned his head toward the sea, which she followed after him into the never-ending field of blue expanse.


	14. Chapter 14

_Hello again. In this chapter, Hiccup meets a few new dragons as well as another person learning her secret. Next chapter will be posted in 3-4 days' time. Posting this chapter 5-28-2014. Thank you for your patience and I hope the chapter was worth the wait. _

She nearly had to beg Toothless to allow her to remove his saddle and tail, but with some pleading and reassurance that he'd get them back, he allowed her to set it onto the shoreline. He felt naked, more so than usual without them. The fin had stayed on him since the day Hiccup put it on, without it, he felt like less of a dragon. Hiccup however encouraged him to go forward, never once making him feel pathetic or pitied. He admired that about her.

Back into the water, they began the swimming lesson. They had first started with breathing exercises and once she relaxed, he led her deeper into the ocean.

_That's it, keep moving your legs. You're doing great_, Toothless held his paws out with Hiccup holding onto them while kicking at the water's surface with her feet. _Keep your chin up, Hiccup, _he raised his chin higher for her to mirror his actions. _Atta girl._

Leaning in closer, he trailed his tail to her back, angling her body so her legs were submerged. She gasped slightly, not from his touch, but because she was managing to keep herself a float. Moving her body closer to his, he desperately tried to lead his focus to her face rather than her supple body just an arm's length away. From the angle, he got a clear view of her front side. Small and slender, her skin like porcelain accented with black spots for decoration. He gulped loudly, trying to pry his eyes from her naked body. This was the first time he'd ever seen a human nude, but knowing the person was Hiccup somehow made the experience comforting while at the same time taboo.

Hiccup, fully unprotected, in his grasps all to himself. Under normal circumstances, this would never happen. The way he was now, gave him a rare opportunity to be so close to a human. And to top it all off, the human had to be this adorable female Viking.

He felt a devilish smirk cross his face at the sudden realization of it all. _I have her all to myself._

Toothless gave her a quick snort, letting her know he was going to release her hands.

She was adamant at first, "No, Toothless, don't let me go."

He chuckled as his paws separated from her as she paddle vigorously, _Don't worry, I'm never letting you go._

Closing her lids tightly, she slowly opened them, her arms floating in front of her as she bobbed with the current. She wasn't drowning. Hiccup looked up to Toothless, chirping amusingly at her efforts. She was a fast learner.

Confident in her abilities, Toothless began stroking his arms and legs through the water, keeping a close eye on her as she circled around to follow his movements. Seeing her eyes glued to him, he turned over and began to back stroke before diving, emerging on the opposite side of her.

She shot him a cynical stare and a playful grin once she turned to face him. "Oh, well now you're just showing off."

He closed the gap between them, placing one paw to her stomach and the other to her shoulder. He then began to lean her body back to a horizontally position, tapping her shoulder for her to begin stroking. She complied, raising her arms above the water, slicing through it repeatedly. Once Hiccup was sure she'd gotten the hang of it, she propelled herself forward with no restraint from her teacher. She sank a little at first, but managed to stay up.

She was finally swimming.

He watched in awe as she escaped from his grasp for several feet before maneuvering herself around and back to him. Holding his arms out, she swim straight into them, grabbing hold of his neck and embracing him kindly for his teachings.

He felt warm inside. Whether it be from the physical workout or her body pressed onto his, he wasn't too sure. For now though, he'd enjoy the feeling of her in his arms, letting the waves rock them calmly.

_Ready to dive?_ he purred lovingly as he signaled for her to inhale a breath.

…

The underwater world was breathtaking. Sunlight pierced through the water making it shine like thousands of small diamonds glittering the waves. Sea grass blanketed the ocean floor as small schools of herring played around in the blades. There were large clusters of coral branching out in bright shades of reds and violets. Every now and then she'd spot a turtle grazing on the ocean floor while starfish slowly wriggle their appendages across stones and bodies of sand.

She'd resurface for air then dive back in to see more of this strange new world, with Toothless not too far behind. He watched as she dove deeper into the blue, touching the tips of sea grass and dancing with the occasional harbor porpoise. She seemed so curious and content with her surroundings. It brought a smile to his face knowing she'd now survive and thrive if ever she was sent into waters.

He strayed from her for a moment, a patch of dulse catching his attention. He had seen man eat this variety of seaweed, and knowing Hiccup's diet, he picked a bushel before turning back to her. The sight before him nearly had him release the air from his lungs.

_HICCUP!_ He torpedoed to her as fast as he could, praying he wasn't too late.

…

Hiccup was too busy observing two small crabs duel to notice the tall shadow hovering over her till the crabs darted away under a rock. She could feel hard underwater breaths behind her, pushing her hair forward. Slowly turning, her eyes glued to those of an emerald Scauldron. She kept still, knowing if she panicked, she'd risk losing the little oxygen left in her lungs or she'd frighten the sea dragon to attack. She barely blinked as the creature inched closer, sniffing her underwater scent.

The Scauldron could pick up the trace fragrance of sea grass on the young female. True to his sea-loving nature, he was curious about her. Not many humans trailed into the waters with no armor, this one swam about like a care-free seal. He opened his jaws, chattering to her what her business was in the blue, knowing fully she could not respond in her condition. He waited.

The blunt teeth in its mouth caught her attention. From stories she heard as a child, Scauldrons had razor sharp fangs that could take the flesh and bones off of unsuspecting fishermen, stealing their catch and lives. While she was sure about the fish part, she wasn't convinced about the killing aspect. If there was one thing she knew about dragons, it was that they ate certain things: Toothless eating fish and Gronckles eating rocks. Perhaps the diet of a Scauldron consisted of fish as well? Its blunt teeth reminded her of the ones in humans, designed for both animal and plant life. If she wanted to know for sure, she'd have to experiment.

Slowly, Hiccup let her body sink down to the field of sea grass and tore off a good handful of blades before presenting them to the Scauldron who eyed it closely. Once he made the assessment she was providing him an offering of peace, he gladly ate the salty green, lowering his head for her to touch his snout. At her touch, he could sense a strong connection, a unity between the land of the sea and earth.

_I bid you welcome, young one,_ he stretched his head forward and lifted her up with his snout. Her body raised, he ducked his head under her feet and drove her body up to the surface for her to finally breathe in air. She kept her balance as the cool waters lift her skin and she was introduced to the warm air above. Taking in a deep breath, Hiccup looked down below where Toothless had resurfaced as well, calling out to her in a frenzy.

"_HICCUP! Don't worry, I'll get you down_!" He turned his attention towards the tall long-necked sea serpent. "_Alright, I don't know what you want with Hiccup, but you're gonna have to go through me before you try anything!_" he bared his teeth and unleashed his talons, ready to attack.

"_Calm down, my good fellow, I mean no harm to the girl or you for that matter, Night Fury. Mere curiosity is all that brought me to these shores, and I can see my travels have not held anything less of astonishing._" The Scauldron held his head high, keeping the child clear of the ill-tempted young Striker. It seemed queer to him why a Night Fury, known for their aloof nature, would take such interest in a human's well-being.

This isle's shore was indeed a quaint site.

The Scauldron's words were doing little to alleviate Toothless' mood, but aggravating an assault was not a good idea, considering Hiccup was a top his head.

"I'm alright, Toothless, I'm coming down!" she stepped back and lunged forward, extending her arms out as she fell from the dragon and into the sea, diving like an agile seal before resurfacing near her worrying companion.

He reached out for her protectively, scanning her body for any signs of bruising or scald marks. Fortunately for the Scauldron, she was unmarked and for now, so was he. Toothless snarled at the water dragon, bringing Hiccup in for a shielding embrace, "_Alright, she's off of you. You can leave now._"

The Scauldron merely chuckled at his demeanor and actions, enjoying the strange behavior of the two. "_Do forgive me for my lack of social etiquette, Toothless, was it? The sea can be a lonesome maiden. Please, do allow me to start off with a clean introduction and atone for my scandalous behavior._"

"_Thanks for the offer, but we'll pass, we're kinda busy here,_" he wasn't too keen on this dragon calling him by his name. Strange how he know associated his breed name as secondary and 'Toothless' as his true name. He pulled off to lead him and Hiccup away when he felt the soft rub of her hand to his crest.

"Be nice, bud, he wasn't going to hurt me." She loosened herself from his hold and looked towards the Scauldron. "It's very nice to meet you and thank you for helping me up to the surface."

Bowing his head, the Scauldron accepted both her thanks and introduction. "_Well, it's nice to know there are youngers who still have respect for their elders, even those of different origins._" He gave the Night Fury a cheeky grin who responded with grumbles under his breath.

"_What's that lad? I couldn't quite hear you, annunciate,_" he teased Toothless.

"_I said 'bite me' old lizard!_' Toothless growled.

The Scauldron gave out a cry of laughter from the youngster's rebellious attitude. He could see the girl soothe him down, calmly whispering reassuring words to him. She was definitely his voice of reason.

"It's okay, Toothless, let's all be calm. I think that's enough swim practice for today. What's say we do a bit of fishing?" Hiccup circled her index finger over Toothless' chest. He wasn't too happy the lesson was over but at least fish would take his mind off of the old geezer.

"_Fishing sounds like an excellent sport, I know this quaint little spot not too far from here with prime catch,_" the Scauldron invited himself.

Toothless shrugged his shoulders, an apathetic expression on his profile. The sea dragon couldn't take a hint, could he?

…

After an abundant catch with the Scauldron, Hiccup fishing with her rod atop Toothless' belly as he floated and the Scauldron netting fish in his mouth, they returned to shore before waving farewell to their new friend. Although Toothless found the elder's taunts annoying, he had to admit the location was choice and seeing Hiccup so relaxed fishing made the experience worth it. He managed to keep the dulse in his grasp and handed it over to her.

"Dulse, for me? Aw, thanks, sweetie," she leaned in and pecked him right by the ear, sending them flying up in joy. She walked over to the document tube and put her fishing rod away before examining her clothing. When she had taken them off, she failed to notice the obvious scorch marks on the front and sleeves.

_Guess I'll have some extra laundry to do when I get home_, she giggled before shaking off the excess moisture from her skin, still lingering with the perfume of the sea. Satisfied with her dryness, she redressed and picked up Toothless' riding gear.

He hopped when she put them back onto him, the weight on his fin feeling whole again. They laid down on the heated stone ground, the breeze picking up causing Hiccup to shiver. Noticing her shaking form, Toothless let out a fire blast onto a dry piece of driftwood near them in an attempt to keep her warm as well as snuggle right beside her, shielding away most of the chill.

With his catch in paw and her seaweed drying on a stick by the fire, they paused for a moment admiring the bright blue sky. The sun was alright high, indicating midday. As of far the day was rather promising. She managed to build a fishing rod and was able to use it in both combat and catch. She and Toothless, touched the heavens as well as the deep. Most of all, they made a new friend, learning a bit more about Tidal class dragons and their natural habitat.

Sparking an idea, she reached out for her satchel, pulling out the Dragon Manual as well as her sketchbook. Looking over the pages in the manual, she stopped at her desired location.

"Scauldron. Sprays scalding water at its victim. Extremely dangerous, kill on sight." She mused over the words for a moment. _If you show the Scauldron you of are no threat, it won't attack._

She turned over to Toothless, happily eating one of his haddocks, smiling before adding her finding into her sketchbook and imaging the Scauldron as she recalled.

'_If you want to approach a Scauldron, douse yourself in water and have plenty of sea grass or fish. They like anything that reminds them of home. Speak gently, remain calm and don't be afraid._' With the image complete and her information filled, she closed her books and reached out for her now dry, toasted dulse.

Toothless had looked over to her while she was writing in her book, he saw the picture of the Scauldron, wondering what was going through her mind when he floated right beside her. He had only left her alone for ten seconds but it was enough time for a wild dragon to sneak up on her. It she had smelt of sweet grass rather than sea grass, would he have harmed her? He wasn't too sure.

_Gotta keep her safe_, he vowed to himself as he processed to regurgitate the head of a cod. He knew she didn't eat fish, but it was the gesture that he wanted to get though. That he'd provide for her like she provided for him.

She looked down at the fish head, then back to Toothless who shied his eyes for a splint second before returning the gesture. "Thanks, bud. You too." She gestured her stick towards him. With that settled, they dug into their lunch, till the sounds of multiple chatters prompted them to stop.

In the distance, several small dragons flew towards the shoreline, straight for them. Hiccup lowered her dulse, reopening the Dragon Manuel trying to find the image of the little creatures. Landing on the stone floor, the dragons crept closer, aiming toward Toothless and his meal. He let out a defensive growl, shielding what was rightfully his from the scavengers.

A red one approached first, Toothless gritting his fangs at it, causing it to stop in its tracks. This however, did not deter a green one to snatch away the cod head, dragging it and setting it down observing the strange closeness of human and dragon. Distracted, a yellow one snuck underneath to grab it, ensuing a brawl between the two. The green one lifting itself on its hind legs, small vapors of smoke escaping its mouth before igniting a line of fire at the yellow dragon, running away.

"Stocker Class: Terrible Terror. Smallest dragons known to Viking-kind. These dragons hunt in flocks and together can carry away livestock as well as subdue even the strongest of Vikings. Their line of fire is accurate and can melt off the faces of its victims. Extremely dangerous, kill on sight." Hiccup brought back her sketchbook and drew in the Terror, taking note of their jaws, void of teeth.

With Toothless seeing the two Terror fight, unimpressed, a forest colored Terror with reddish-brown accents managed to snake behind him and take a fish. Turning to the sight of a fish, dancing up before the little thief revealed himself. Toothless locked onto the head of the haddock, pulling quickly on it leaving only the scaly fin end in the Terror's mouth. He swallowed the fish whole before drumming in laughter at the younger dragon.

Annoyed, the Terror sip out the fin and prowled closer towards Toothless. "_So, wise guy, huh? Well two can play at that game."_ He inhaled, readying to set out fire onto the Night Fury.

Hiccup backed away slightly, Toothless blocking her with his leg. He merely smirked devilishly at the little thing, _You best take note of this, Hiccup._

The Terror on his hind legs now, leveled with Toothless, chattered before releasing his aggression. _"Face the wrath of the Terrible!"_ Unfortunately for the smaller dragon, Toothless fired a tiny shot of blue flame into the Terror's mouth, inflating the tiny creature before dropping him to the ground. Trails of smoke left his mouth as he wheezed out his final words. "_…terror._"

He wobbled off defeated, his eyes foggy from the smoke escaping his jaws.

"Huh, not so fire-proof on the inside, are ya?" Hiccup watched as the tiny dragon staggered. She leaned closer to Toothless, taking a small herring from his pile and tossed it over to the Terror for his efforts. "Here ya go." His eyes cleared up, immediately taking the gift whole. He turned over to the smiling girl who kindly gave him a meal.

She sat back down, Toothless giving her a stunned look as the Terror purred, slowly making his way to her side, nuzzling her arm and curling besides her like a lazy house cat. _Bad, Hiccup, now he'll never leave,_ he groaned before turning his attention back to his food.

The other Terror had left, leaving their comrade with the Viking and Night Fury. He vibrated lovingly as Hiccup circled her palm over his side. His behavior opened her eyes to a new reality. "Everything we know about you guys, is wrong."

Feeling more comfortable, the Terror lifted himself and perched himself onto her lap before circling around it and taking seat. He had never been this close to a human without trying to steal food from them. This one offered him something to eat, even allowed him to get close affectionately. He closed his eyes and let her smooth his spines gently.

Finishing his meal, Toothless looked over to Hiccup, eyes wide at the terrible sight of a Terror on her lap so familiarly. He knew this little guy was no treat to him physical or intellectually, but his heart hurt seeing his Hiccup so caring to other dragons. Sure it was great she connected with them to the point where they saw her as nothing but a sweet girl, he just wanted to be the only one with her. He wanted that smile to be only for him and those bright eyes looking solely to his. Now he had to share with a tiny Stocker, not on his watch.

He stood up and took the Terror by the collar, tossing him to the far side of the shoreline where he bounced several times before stopping confusedly. Hiccup looked over to the Terror and raised to check on him before Toothless grabbed her by the waist, pulling her into his hold.

"Hey! I don't know what is up with you today, Toothless, but you've been acting rude to other dragons lately." She pushed herself slightly from his grip but he wasn't about to release her so easily. She wondered why he was behaving so bitterly, first with the Scauldron and now with the Terror. She felt she was making progress with her studies, bonding with other dragons and learning from them. When it finally hit her, she gave a slow sigh as her hand reached out for his paw.

"Toothless, I know you're trying to protect me but I'm trying to learn about other dragons. I'm going to get close to them and form bonds with everyone I can, but," she kneeled down still in his embrace. "I'm never going to look at another dragon the way I look at you."

His breathing hitched and his eyes shot to hers. They glowed brightly, a glow meant only for him. At sight of them, his heart thumped wildly and he couldn't understand why.

Hiccup reached out for his cheek and rubbed it softly, "I consider you my first best friend, and I hope you might as well someday."

Leaning his cheek deeper into her touch he felt a smile grow on his lips. In all his years, he never had a friend, friendship was something difficult to find in a hive where everyone competed to stay atop and away from Red Death's bad side. And even though he was always on the top, something so meaningless like friends would just soften him, making him weak. With Hiccup, it only seemed to make him stronger, even more protective. _I'd like that a lot,_ he purred sweetly as their cheeks collided together.

He loosened his grip and she ran over to the Terror, still lying confusingly in the sand. She lifted him up, bringing him close to her chest which he cuddled next to as she returned towards Toothless. He gave a little pout, noticed by the Terror.

"_Jelly, bro?_" he chattered as he leaned closer into Hiccup.

"_I'm not jealous, you're annoying._"

The Terror danced in Hiccup's hold, moving his arms in and out as he face Toothless. "_Night Fury jelly! Deep in his belly!_" He repeated his chant and dance several times before it was out of his system.

The fire from the driftwood was dying out from the wind. Feeling her body quiver, the Terror released a flare towards the wood, reigniting the flames.

"A little sharpshooter, huh?" Hiccup bounced him in her arms. "I'm gonna call you, Sharpshot, you like that?"

He gave an eager nod, taking the name with honor.

She sat down beside Toothless who curled up to her as the three of them listened to the sound of the tide while Hiccup ate her seaweed with her friends.

…

The sun wasn't out yet when Gustav left home. It didn't matter to anyone he had, he was alone. He carried with him his satchel with a fish for later to cook, before going on a solo training mission. With him being too young for dragon training and not wanting to stick around in case Snotlout came around to pick on him, he ran into the forest.

He marched into the brush, deeper onto the evergreen far from the sight of the village. Once he felt he was in a good area, he looked up to a tall pine and with his bare hands, crawled his way up. He figured if he could climb the tree to the very top and see the world around him, he'd become stronger, maybe strong enough to get into training sooner.

A good way up, Gustav balanced himself on a branch, reaching out for one directly above him. The limb too high for his reach, he jumped up, barely grazing the bark. He tried once more, grabbing hold of it as he smile victoriously before the sound of snapping wood turned his smile into gritting teeth.

"Uh-oh."

Giving in to his weight, the branch broke, sending him down to the branch below, losing his balance and falling further below. He bumped onto several limbs, slapping him in the face before his satchel caught hold of a branch, stopping him in his tracks. Looking down, his vision blurred from being so high up. He tried to move, but that only loosened him a bit so he stayed still. If he moved he'd fall, if he stayed up in the tree he'd never get down. And being so far out away from the village, there was little chance of somebody passing by to recuse him.

"Great."

He stayed up there till the sun as high in the sky, giving up hope anyone would notice him missing and go out looking for him. Sighing for maybe the fifty-seventh time since he got stuck, Gustav heard the ominous sound of flapping wings. Staying quiet, he saw a black figure pass him, something on its back. "HICCUP!"

The figure stopped mid-flight and she turned towards the calling of her name, the voice so familiar to her. "Gustav!? What are you doing in a tree!?"

"What are you doing on a dragon!?" he tried not to move but he swayed from side to side at the sight. Hiccup, the most docile Viking on Berk, was on the back of a black dragon.

She panicked for words and an explanation for her actions. "Uh…I asked first."

He bit his lip before confessing, "I came out here to train. How am I going to get stronger if all I ever do is get pick on? So I started climbing this tree but got stuck on a branch instead." He stared at her, too frightened at the dragon to take a peek at it.

"How long have you been up there?"

"Uh, how long has the sun been out?"

Hiccup worried about him. She knew Gustav always tried his hardest, even when he wasn't ready for the task ahead. "Alright. Stay calm and we'll get you down, right bud?" she gave a firm pat to Toothless who grumbled under his breath. "Come on, Toothless, he's a friend."

He sighed, but figured he could help the little guy. They leaned in close enough to reach him, Hiccup raised her arm out to Gustav who desperately tried to grab hold of it. He leaned forward and so did his satchel strap leading him to fall further down the tree towards the hard earth.

"AAAHHH!"

"GUSTAV! DOWN, TOOTHLESS!" she lowered her hand down to Gustav's falling form, Toothless racing after him.

So close to the ground, Gustav closed his eyes waiting for the worst, only to not feel anything. He had stopped moving and he felt something grab hold of his right foot. Opening his eyes, his head was inches from the ground. He leaned his head up, seeing the dragon's paw securely holding onto him. Toothless tossed the small boy right side up, grabbed him by his forearms with both paws and dropped him down to the forest floor.

Gustav raced forward and turned back towards Hiccup and the dragon. She lowered him and hopped off to his side. "Are you okay? You're not hurt, are you?" She examined his face, cupping her hands over his cheeks before turning him around to fully check him.

"I'm fine, Hiccup," he reached out for her hands and held them down. "You have to answer my question now."

She looked down to him then back to Toothless who gave her a 'You're on your own' stare. What could she say? She took a deep breath and explained her story to Gustav, who stared wide-eyed as she told him of her bringing the dragon down, freeing him, keeping him safe and rebuilding his tail. He couldn't believe it, all his life he was told dragons were wild, unpredictable beast but hearing her tale and seeing first hand her ability to tame one, he was hooked.

"Wow. Is he mean?" he asked, looked at Toothless over Hiccup's body who stared back at him with big green eyes.

"Toothless? No, a bit protective, but defiantly not mean," she scotched aside for him to see.

He watched in amazement as the dragon lifted his wings wide as he approached. "Can I pet him?"

She looked over to Toothless to gauge his response. He gave the boy an odd stare but saw no harm in him. He was a Viking like Hiccup, but at his age, they seemed less menacing.

_They probably get them to hate us while their young, just like us,_ he thought as he lowered his head to the little boy.

Seeing his response was positive, she gave Gustav the signal to rub his hand under Toothless' chin, which he did with great enthusiasm, bringing the dragon flat to the ground. He watched as he laid there, purring away as Hiccup brought her palm to his shoulder.

"Congratulations, Gustav. You just brought down a Night Fury."

He grinned widely. Gustav Larson, brought the unholy offspring of lightning and death to his knees with a simple rub. He didn't feel like a dragon killer, he felt like a whole new person. He no longer wanted to hunt and harm them, he wanted to ride one, just like Hiccup. He looked around while she kneeled next to her dragon, seeing a long scaly tail not too far from them. He beamed before racing towards it unnoticed by Hiccup and Toothless.

"See, he's a friend," she grinned at her relaxed companion.

_Kid's got spunk, I'll give him that,_ he chirped slowly lifting himself up.

"See, Gustav, we don't have to…Gustav?" she turn to him only to see him missing. "Gustav!?"

"AAAHHH!"

She heard his yell and raced toward the sound of her friends and in the same direction the roar of a dragon.

…

Gustav snaked behind a sleeping Monstrous Nightmare. He was an adolescent, with eggplant and corn colored scales. Slowly be made his way towards it and once he was close enough, pounced atop of him, grabbing hold of one of his long spine spikes. His action roused the Nightmare, wide-eyed as he turned to a small boy on his side. He narrowed his eyes and let himself ablaze, sending the boy flying thought the air landing his back to a tree. The Nightmare quickly crept towards him, letting out a powerful roar at Gustav, cowering onto the tree.

The scent of fish caught the Nightmare's attention, sniffing at Gustav's satchel. He watched closely as the dragon took interest in his bag.

It was then Hiccup rushed in to see Gustav on the ground and a Nightmare near him. "Stay calm, Gustav. If you panic, he might feel threatened."

He gulped, trying to remain calm, thinking he may have set himself in a dangerous situation.

"What do you have in your bag?" she asked seeing the Nightmare hovering his snout over it.

"A fish," his voice was slightly shaky.

"Give him the fish."

"But it's my lunch," he protected as he leaned away and held his arms over his face as the dragon approached closer.

"Gustav, I'll cook you a fish and whatever you want if we get out of this, but you have to give him the fish, please." She reached her arms out as she and Toothless slowly made their way towards him.

He either could give the Monstrous Nightmare his food or become food himself, he didn't like those odds. He reached for the fish and presented it out to the dragon.

"Good. Don't throw it, let him take it from your hand, trust me. Feeding time is bonding time."

He froze as the Nightmare sniffed the fish before taking it from his palm, not taking his hand in the process. Once the fish was devoured, the Nightmare's demeanor changed. He leaned down and tackled Gustav to the ground, playing with him with his snout.

From her angle, she thought he was harming Gustav and ran to him, the sound of laughter instead of anguish calmed her as she approached the two.

Gustave chuckled as he lifted himself by the Nightmare's snout. "Ha-ha, can I keep him, Hiccup?"

She gave him a stunned expression. "We can't keep dragons, Gustav, there wild animals."

"Why not? You own one?" he pointed to Toothless who rumbled his voice.

"I-I don't own Toothless, I'm just helping him out of a bad situation. We can't just expect to domesticate dragons."

"You did, the guy practically loves you."

The comment sent them both into a frenzy, Hiccup blushing brightly and Toothless muttering that they were only friends. Their actions caused both Gustav and the Nightmare smirking. He had meant it as an expression but their reaction was priceless.

"Do you think I can fly him?" he looked up to his Nightmare, seeing his hook like fangs. "Fanghook." The dragon roared proudly, he wasn't too happy about being woken up from his nap but this kid had spunk and he liked it.

"You want to ride dragons?" her face returning to normal.

He jumped up and raced to Fanghook's neck, making himself comfortable holding his horns tightly. Fanghook didn't seem to mind, he wasn't hurting him and didn't weight much. "Yeah, I do. If we can ride dragons, we wouldn't need to kill them. We could live in peace with them."

She liked the idea of being at peace with them but knew what something like this meant in their current society. She was adamant, if she taught Gustav she'd made him happy but also hold him as accessory to her deeds.

"Please, Hiccup?" he pleaded as he and Fanghook leaned in closer to her.

"_Please?_" Fanghook repeated, dilating his golden eyes.

"_You know you're not helping, right?_" Toothless remarked to him.

"_Yeah, but what's the fun if you can't break a few rules now and then,_" Fanghook shot smoke from his nostrils at Toothless, unfazed by his actions.

Hiccup sighed. "Alright. One lap, but after that we head back to Berk and talk with Gothi."

Gustav's raised his body up over Fanghook's head. "Gothi knows?"

"Yeah. Looks like the 'Dragon Secret Club' just got bigger."


	15. Chapter 15

_Hello again. This chapter was a bit tricky, but I hope I did well. Next chapter will be posted in a week due to weather problems in my area, so I very sorry for that. I'll post it as soon as I can. Posting this chapter 6-1-2014. Thank you and please enjoy._

_..._

He took a deep gulp before placing his boot to a triangle-shaped opening between the lines of freshly marked dirt. To his surprise, Fanghook tilted his head and let out a cheerful roar which urged him to continue forward. His march lead him to Fanghook's side, who pressed his snout to Gustav's cheek. He wrapped his arms around him, before being pulled up and out of the dance floor.

"Now what, Hiccup?" he asked, fisting his palms and held them out eagerly, ready for the next step.

"We'll start with a slow and steady lap around the pines, nothing too wild, you don't have anything to keep you secure on him yet." She placed her hand to Toothless' side, pointing down. He shot a plasma blast to the dirt, marking it black before Hiccup crossed the burnt soil with her boot.

"This will be your target to land," she turned over to Fanghook, Gustav already on his neck. "Guide him gentle by nudging on his horns."

He beamed down to his friend. "Ready, boy?" he asked excitingly. "Let's fire it up!"

Fanghook gave him a reassuring grin, ready to show him what it was like to fly on a Nightmare.

He spread his wings out and flapped to start. Gliding above the pines, Gustav looked down to the shrinking figures as they flew higher. He laughed and softly tugged on Fanghook's horns to make a right turn which he followed swiftly. They passed several trees, swooping low under fallen branches and tight corners with pin-point accuracy. The pace was mellow, both at ease with their first flight together.

Both however, were a bit impatient as they pressed faster thought the air, turning wildly and looping over trunks before heading for the target. Their added speed had them coming in too hot and before they could adjust, bounced onto the 'X' before tumbling forward several times, landing by a boulder.

Hiccup and Toothless ran to their side, thinking the worst, only to have Gustav jump out with a big smile on his face and dirt covering his clothing. "Dragon Rider!"

"Whoa there, you two, I thought I said slow and steady?" she giggled once she realized both were safe, dirty, but safe.

"That was slow and steady, just with a little extra, zing at the end," he hopped forward confidently. "You can't tell me you two took it slow and steady your first fly around."

Hiccup and Toothless looked over to each other from their peripheral vision before staring away at other things. Their first was less fun for her and more gut churning sickness. He felt bad for being selfish and careless with her life. Even their following flights tended to result in minor accidents here and there, but for what it was worth, they loved it all.

"Let's just say ours was a bit more, unconventional," she tucked her hair over her ear with Toothless nodding in approval.

"What's conventional about riding dragons?" the younger Viking and dragon rebutted, leaving their elders at a loss for words.

"Does this mean we can't tell anyone about this?" he continued, rubbing Fanghook on the underside of his jowl.

Hiccup fidgeted with her hands for a bit glancing to the ground knowing what had to be said, "I'm sorry, Gustav. If the others find out about them, they'll be driven away or worse. And if they learn that you and Gothi know, I could never forgive myself for dragging you two with me." She ran her arms around Toothless' neck for comfort. "The world isn't ready for this."

Toothless could feel her body tense up, she was frightened by the thought of losing everything. He knew that feeling all too well, his only remedy was knowing that she was there to be with him. But if he was to be taken away for killed. She'd never convict her two human companions, what would that leave her with?

She'd have no one.

"Alright, I understand," Gustav stared into Fanghook's gold eyes and turned away. "I guess this means 'goodbye' then?" Fanghook pushed onto him, not wanting for their first meeting to be their last. He really like Gustav, they were similar in many ways. He didn't have a nest or a family of his own, and now that he found a brother, he could be there for him.

"Go on, Fanghook, you're free! Go!" he tried to keep the tears from falling from his green eyes as he shoed him away.

Hiccup could feel a tug at her heart, Gustav finally found a friend other than her, someone who could defend and be there when needed. She stopped Fanghook as he was leaving into the forest. "Wait. Don't go."

He paused, turning back to the two humans and to Toothless. Hiccup placed her hand on Gustav's shoulder. "I can't let you do this, you two just bonded so well. _Sigh_ I'll tell you what, you two can continue to see each other until I get Toothless out on his own."

Gustav's frown turned into the biggest smile she had ever seen. He ran back to Fanghook, who in turn ran back to him. As Gustav was going in for a hug, Fanghook opened his mouth and gently latched onto his small body, lifting him off ground. Gustav was frightened at first, till he realized he wasn't being eaten, just hugged between the jaws of a Monstrous Nightmare . He chuckled from the ticklish sensation of Fanghook's teeth on his skin.

Toothless watched in horror as the little boy was placed in the Nightmare's jaws. "_Fanghook! Drop him, NOW!_"

"_Bwut wi'm uugin im._"

"_Don't talk with your mouth full. Drop Gustav before I drop him out for you,_" he let out an assertive growl.

Annoyed, he let go of Gustav, placing him on his feet covered in his slobber. Hiccup looked over his body. "You okay?"

"Yeah, that was fun!" He turned over to Fanghook. "Let's do that again, ha-ha!"

Before Fanghook could open his jaws again, Hiccup interrupted. "Uh, why don't we head back to the village. We still need to talk to Gothi about all of this." She pulled his sticky hair away from his eyes. "And maybe get you a bath."

"'Kay, what about Fanghook and Toothless?" he looked over to the two dragons having their own conversation.

"We can take them to the cove for now, that's where I've been keeping Toothless. Well, that's where he followed me to, to be exact."

…

"_What were you thinking!? You can't go around putting kids in your mouth, I thought you were about to swallow him whole!" _Toothless felt like a scolding elder brother to the Nightmare.

"_Well, I wasn't. It's just what we Nightmares do when we're super excited. Or angry, it all depends on the situation, but that was a happy bite._"

Toothless let out a frustrated sigh. "_Just be careful alright," _he turned over to look at Hiccup who was talking with Gustav. _"Humans are a lot more delicate than they look._"

Fanghook followed his eyes to her, vaguely understanding what he meant. "_I don't think you give them enough credit. They're a lot stronger than you think._"

"Come on, you two," Hiccup and Gustav walked to their dragons respectively and mounting them. "Let's go to the cove, hold on tight, Gustav."

"Fanghook. Fire it up!" he called out before they all rode off towards the secret hideaway.

…

"You think they'll be okay there?" Gustav asked as they made their way to Hiccup's house.

"Don't worry, Gustav, they'll be fine. They're dragons," she reassured as she reached for the door handle, opening it and letting him enter first.

He walked in slowly. "I guess you're right."

He let his eyes wander the inside of the Haddock home. Not many people ever saw the inside of the chief's house, probably only Gobber. It wasn't too different in design from the standard Viking home, the main difference was the amount of shelving space, filled with jars of jams and spices, the many baskets full of fresh fruit and vegetables and the amount of cookware was much more extensive than they usual pot and pan.

"Why don't you take a bath, I'll wash our clothes and make us something to eat before we head over to Gothi's. Any food request?" she asked as she lit the fire pit.

He had nearly forgotten she promised him a meal and how hungry he was. He wasn't too sure what to ask for. "Surprise me, I'm not picky."

She walked over to him, leading him to her father's bathroom and setting up fresh water into the tubas warm water fell from the pipe. "There you go. Place your clothes in the basket and I'll have them done before you finish your bath."

He obeyed her orders and once undressed, hopped into the tub, watching out the dirt and saliva from his hair and skin. He had so much fun today. Hiccup showed him a whole new world with flight and unparalleled wonder. With Fanghook by his side for now, he wouldn't feel so alone. He washed himself well, got out, dried himself and to his surprise, his clothing was freshly cleaned and folded neatly on the basket. Hiccup surely was fast at chores.

He dressed up and made his way to the kitchen where Hiccup stirred a pot of stew. His nose followed the amazing aroma of spices and herbs. She turned over to see him make his way to the table and took two bowl, pouring the mixture into them before presenting him with a hot serving of cabbage and potato stew. His eyes brightened to the sight of a warm meal, his last being when his mother was leaving the morning of the voyage. Since then, he had to make due with whatever was served at the Great Hall, and fish he tried to cook. Taking his spoon, he scooped a good amount of potatoes pieces and cabbage before putting it in his mouth. Gustav's taste buds exploded at the flavors and spooned more into his hungry stomach.

"Haha, you like it?" she giggled seeing him devour his stew like a hungry Gronckle.

"It's delicious!" he managed between a bite.

"Well I'm glad, there's plenty for seconds. We can take the rest to Gothi. I wonder if the Whispering Death is still with her?" she looked into her bowl for answers.

After taking a gulp of his food, Gustav raised his head to Hiccup. "Gothi has a Whispering Death?!"

She managed a chuckle as she stirred her stew with a spoon. "It's a long story."

…

They made their way to Gothi's front door, a pot of stew in Hiccup's hands. Gustav knocked on the door, hearing various sounds of a struggle inside before it became quiet and the door opened a crack.

"It's me, Gothi, we need to talk, I brought some stew," she lifted the pot and smiled brightly, hoping the peace-offering would suffice.

Gothi opened the door, noticing Gustav by her side. She looked over to Hiccup for an explanation to which she weakly laughed. "Yeah, he knows."

The elder shook her head and motioned for them both to enter. She pulled on a sheet to the side of the room, revealing the Whispering Death, who remained motionless till she realized it was only the girl and a little boy.

"So she's still here. How have you two been getting along?" Hiccup ask, placing the stew to the table where she laid motionless two days ago.

The Whispering Death extended her tail and etched onto the patch of sand where the two elders communicated on, marking the word, 'Well'. They both had long talks since the girl and her Night Fury left. Stories of old and mystic ways lost in time or forgotten by the world. Gothi had even given her a name, Etch, considering their style of speech.

The four of them talked over their newly formed organization, a secret society who broke the Viking code and befriended dragons, training them and keeping them hidden from the people around them. Hiccup proclaimed if security was breached, that she would take full responsibility for the consequences, since it was she who kept her knowledge of dragons to herself till being found out. While the others disagreed, they know they couldn't change her mind. She wasn't doing with for herself, but for the safety of others.

They know in their hearts, she was their leader.

…

With their meeting coming to a close, Hiccup and Gustav made their way to the door, wishing thanks and goodbyes to Gothi and Etch.

Exiting back into the village, they could see the sun setting. "We should go and feed the boys before the day ends, but first let's head over to the forge. There's something I can to make for you and Fanghook." Hiccup led Gustav to the forge, Gobber nowhere to be found.

"Let's get started," Hiccup handed him an apron before putting her own on.

He adjusted the length and followed her as she entered a small room full of books, weapon blueprints, paint brushes and large lengths of leather. They measured pieces of brown leather and cut them out. She showed him how to punch holes into the material and sew the pieces together. While he continued mending the leather into one, Hiccup went over to the fire pit, lighting in up before placing old scraps of metal to be heated. When he was finished with the body of the saddle, she taught him how to temper and pound the metal into the shape of buckles and hooks before cooling them off in water.

Once the buckles were complete, he sewed them onto the saddle, placing the hooks onto the side. With Gustav working on his saddle, Hiccup measured out the scraps of the leather and made him a rider's belt. Work completed, Gustav stared at the saddle he created. He smiled as he drew himself to hug Hiccup tightly for teaching him about dragons and crafting metal and leather into art.

"Well, aren't you two a sight for sore eyes," they turned to Gobber, entering the forge with a limp in his step. "What's the occasion?"

Not able to hold in his excitement, Gustav lifted his saddle and showed Gobber. "Hiccup showed me how to make a saddle!"

He stared at the leather work, it was simple, but well-crafted with even stitch lines and straight hammered buckles. "Well, I'll be. Looks like we've got a junior apprentice on our hands, don't you think, Hiccup?"

She beamed. "I couldn't agree more. What do you say, Gustav?" she walked over to Gobber's side who placed his arm over Hiccup. "Want to join the blacksmithing business?"

His eyes widened. He couldn't believe what he was hearing, was he being offered the opportunity to work in the forge with Hiccup and Gobber? He knew Gobber could be picky with apprentices, he choose Hiccup because of her intelligence.

What could he offer? He wasn't too sure, but he wanted to join.

"Really?! Yes!" he jumped up high. This was the best day of his life.

"Splendid, alright, junior apprentice, you start your training tomorrow," Gobber made his way to the sword wall before spotting the recruits approach the window. He made his way to them while Hiccup and Gustav danced around in a circle over the great news.

"Let me give you the grand tour." Hiccup led Gustav around the workshop, showing him where the metal was stored, the weapons hung for display, her study where the design work took place and the fire pit where the magic happened.

"Wow. I can't believe this, I get to work in the forge," they both made their way out and towards the market where they bought fish for their boys.

"What's up with those two?" Tuffnut asked seeing them leave both carry off baskets of fish.

Gobber smiled brightly as he sharpened Aarne's axe. "Oh, just learned some good news."

…

Crawling under the shield with their baskets, Hiccup let out her Night Fury call, which Toothless called back to before running to her side. Gustav whistled, placing his index and middle fingers to his lips. Fanghook raise his head and seeing his 'brother', bolted to him, knocking him down to the ground and rubbing his snout to his belly.

"Hahaha, Fanghook! Stop!" he pushed him off, the basket of fish still closed. He got up and brushed off the dust from his pants.

They made their way further into the cove and spread the fish out for both of them. Toothless dove into his meal, Fanghook waiting for him to finish.

"What is he doing?" Gustav asked.

Hiccup tilted her head to the side. "I think he's waiting for him to finish eating." She walked up to Fanghook, placing her hand to his snout, "It's okay. This is your share, you've earned it."

Reassured, he dug into his portion, grateful for the meal.

"I guess dragons take food seriously," she remember how Toothless got when the Terrible Terrors came in and got very defensive. "Gustav, show Fanghook what you made for him."

He stepped forward and showed him the saddle. Fanghook lowered himself to Gustav's level, letting him know he was willing to let him put it onto him. He strapped it on and tightened the buckles, not too tight, but enough to secure it snuggly.

Fanghook couldn't see it, so he walked over to the water, looking at his reflection and roared joyfully at his new saddle. He snaked over to Gustav and gagged out a fish carcass to him.

"Uh, thanks?" he took the fish by the tail end, looking over to Hiccup for an answer.

She giggled. "Yeah, they do that sometimes."

…

Saying their goodbyes, Gustav and Hiccup walked back to the village, baskets in hand as well as Hiccup's gear.

"Hiccup, thank you, for everything," he looked over to her with a big smile on his face.

"You're welcome. I guess I ruined dragon training for you?" she felt genuinely bad. It had been his dream for so long and now he was exposed to a new reality.

"Are you kidding me? After this, I'd never want to be like them. I want to be like you, a dragon rider."

Her eyes widened and watered. She never thought anyone would want to be anything like her, her smile softened as well as her eyes. "Thanks, Gustav. Maybe one day, we'll be able to be at peace with dragons."

They went their separate ways as the moon rose high in the sky, ending the day, but starting a new hope and dream for the young riders of Berk.


	16. Chapter 16

_Hello again and thank you for your patience. In this chapter, trades occur, strength is shown, trust grows as well as feeling for two young souls. Next chapter will be posted in 4-5 days time. Posting this chapter 6-8-2014. I'd also like to give a very well deserved thank you to Warrior Nun for being a very kind and supportive beta reader. Thank you and please enjoy._

_..._

Salty sea breezes washed over the Archipelago as the morning sun rose to greet a new day. Life on the sea was a voyage of tales and adventure for Trader Johann, and today was no exception as he sailed his way to the isle of Berk, home of the Hairy Hooligan Tribe Vikings. It was always his last and most pleasurable stops of the isles, with its pristine waters, soft sanded beaches and not to mention his most coveted of weapons and blueprint dealers, Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III.

Many a warrior far and wide have tasted the crafted steel and designers from across the globe marveled over the ingenuity of machines created by the Berk Viking. What they would say if they learned that the bearer of such wondrous tools was a delicate young intuitive woman and not a big, strong man like they all supposed? He'd never tell them though, it was always more fun to keep the truth to himself and they only knew her by her signature, _H. Horrendous_.

Now, back on the shores of her homeland, he wondered what curiosities she had in store for him and his traveling shop.

As he lowered his sail and secured his boat to port, a trail of villagers emerged from their homes and off the plaza streets to gander at the treasures within Trader Johann's ship.

"Ah, Berk, the prized gem of the Northern waters. It is an honor to be back in its presence," he extended his arms, welcoming the crowd onto his vessel. As usual, the mob headed directly for the weapons aisle, browsing his inventory of sharp axes and exotic blades from the far reaches of the East.

There was but one customer he was waiting for and until she arrived, he'd have to make do with the customers he had.

…

Hiccup reached her arms out to the ceiling as she rose from her slumber. Yesterday's flight and swim had her slightly sore but it was nothing she couldn't soak off with a relaxing morning bath. She hopped out of bed and undressed as she made her way into her bathroom. Taking off her tunic, she noticed the slight change in her skin. Once a milky paleness of skin now held a faint sun kissed almond hue. Hiccup wasn't usually out in the sun for long periods of time, due to her father's overprotectiveness as he kept her indoors as much as he could.

With her now being more active with morning fishing and flight training with Toothless, her complexion was bound to darken. She stepped into the vat of fresh water, allowing her muscles to loosen before cleaning herself with the sweet grass mixture. Dunking her head into the water, she listened to the quiet void surrounding her. It was different from the lively melody of the ocean, with its many creatures and plant life dancing along with the waves.

Returning her mind to the sanctity of her bathtub she rose from her soak and processed to dry off her tan body. Dressing herself with both her clothes and her bandages she made her way downstairs to begin her morning meal.

She had a spiced chickpea flour omelet stuffed with herb mushrooms and shallots, two pieces of sliced toast with a sweet apple spread, a bowl of strawberries and a cup of black tea.

Before she made her way out to go for her morning fishing trip, Hiccup gave the house a quick clean-up from top to bottom. With her chores complete, she grabbed her document/fishing tube, basket for fish and headed out the door to the pier.

She arrived there before Bucket and Mulch who were happy to see her ready for another fishing expedition. Lately, some of the other villagers were beginning to notice her going out to sea and assisting with the daily catch and while it seemed odd to them that she was out to fish, they appreciated the fact that she went out of her way to provide for them. Word had spread she was booted from dragon training but from the looks of it, she was managing well without the need to battle. And even though many felt she shouldn't be out there in her condition of being bruised and cut from her last training session, they couldn't help but smile at her determination to find her place in the community.

Hiccup was getting stronger. She rowed the boat through the water swiftly at even pace with Bucket, and pulling in the catch with so little as a sweat drop rolling down her neck. Both men were astonished by her growth as a fisherman; just days ago she struggled to barely lift a basket full of fish, now she was carrying a whole load of fish, one in each arm onto the docks.

She took her share as well as an extra and headed for the forge for an early morning training with Gustav.

…

Gustav had barely slept a wink last night, too excited from the previous day's adventure. Today he'd start his new role as junior apprentice and even though he was having those first day jitters, he was anxious to get started.

When the first morning light touched his face from the small opening in his bedroom window, he leaped out of bed and ran down the stairs to the kitchen where he made himself a smoked salmon sandwich, grabbed his helmet and satchel and ran out the door to the forge.

With the sandwich still between his teeth, he struggled to chew his meal and run as fast as he could before spotting Hiccup arranging tools and starting the fire pit.

Gustav managed to finish the bite of bread in his mouth before greeting her to the day. "Mornin', Hiccup!"

She turned over to see his bright smiling face and returned the expression. "Well a good morning to you too, Gustav. Ready to start your first day of blacksmithing?" she asked as she opened the window of the shop.

"You bet!" he finished before taking another bite out of his breakfast.

The smile on Hiccup's face grew, she was happy he was eating properly now that he had something to look forward to. "Alright, let's get started. Yesterday I showed you around the forge, your first lesson is to identify the tools I show you and explain what they're used for, okay?"

"I'm ready for this!" he readied his fist out, waiting to tackle his lesson with flying colors.

They went over all the tools and weapon classifications as well as a safety drill that would have been useful the day she started in the forge. Gustav was soaking in all the material like a sponge, eager to learn more and grow from this experience.

"Well done, Gustav. Someone's been studying before the first day," she held her hand out for a high five which he returned energetically.

From outside the forge, crowds of people were forming, heading to the pier all shouting out that Trader Johann was here.

"Want to go see what Johann's got in store for trade?" she asked Gustav who was bobbing his head in approval.

"Alright, let me just grab a few things before we head out," she made her way to her study to find the blueprints she had arranged in a pile for trade and looked over the walls closely. They were decorated with machines built with sharp knives and heavy hammers, all made for killing and hunting dragons.

There was a sting in her heart.

The pictures made her sick.

She wanted nothing more to do with these instruments of chaos, not after what she's learned and been through with dragons. Hiccup was ready to start fresh, so with a quick swipe of her hand, pulled all the blueprints off the walls and on her table before rolling when into bundles and stuffing them into her document tube.

Blueprints packed, she walked out of the study and they both walked off to the harbor to trade their goods and evils.

…

"Well, if it isn't the diamond of Berk herself, Madam Hiccup," Johann called out when he spotted her heading towards his boat. "The gods only made you more ravishing by the day," he extended his arm to her and pecked her hand as greetings.

She shook her head with a slight chuckle, "Flattery will get you nowhere, Trader Johann."

"Nowhere, but in your good graces I hope," he bowed.

Looking around, Hiccup spotted the baskets full of exotic fruits and spices, some familiar to her and others so strange and mysterious to her their taste.

"Ah, I see you're still a woman with fine taste in vegetation, here," he rummaged through several baskets before pulling out a small crate of yellow fleshed fruits. They held the sweet scent of summer.

"Mangoes, from the deep jungles of the East. Their sweetness carries thought out the brush and are revered as sacred fruits in their native lands," he offend had a story to tell with each item he brought and this item had a story of sword fights, the recusing of a beautiful island princess and riches given by a grateful emperor. "…and to reward me for single handingly returning his beloved daughter from the cannibals of the Lorrimuribay tribe, the emperor assigned me as royal member of his guard and gifted these fruits as a sign of eternal peace."

Hiccup inhaled the sweet aroma of the golden fruits. "Well they are lovely and smell delicious. I'll take them, but first a look for something else."

"But of course, Madam Hiccup," Johann extended his arms out as if to offer the entire vessel to her eyes.

After picking out a few more familiar vegetables and fruits, with the occasional spice and new treat she stumbled upon a tray of pigment powders held in white cotton bags. Their colors were so bright and vivid it was as if the hues of nature we pulled right out and formed into fine dust of beautiful tints.

"The finest pigment powders from the capital of the East where the mountains climb high into the heavens and every day is a celebration of life. These are made of the natural flowers and woods of the land, producing the wondrous colors of the world. Someone of your artistic talents will find this pigments quite enchanting," he trailed on in his story of visiting the capital of the East where a battle of colors occurred with men, women and children alike gathered round to enjoy the festivities, promoting him to join and bestowing him an assortment of dry powder for his trades.

"Alright, I'll be taking all these," she held out the crate of things in her arms. "And the pigments." She adjusted herself and lowered the crate, reaching for her document tube and pulling out all her blueprints to him. "Will this do?"

His eyes shot in amazement as he flipped through each page. "Madam Hiccup, is this all your work?"

She nodded in approval.

He was stunned. She usually let go of three, maybe five designs at a time, now she was trading in all her works for food and paint, it was too good to be true.

"But Madam Hiccup, this is far too much for what you wish to trade for. Your designs are coveted throughout the seas and all fear and respect the name, H. Horrendous. Are you sure you wish to depart with such arts?"

"I'm quite sure, Trader Johann. I want to start off with a clean slate and this blueprints just hold too many ideas of the past. I'm looking towards the future with a different set of eyes."

Johann just hit the mother lode of weapon blueprints.

"A humble and generous trade, Madam Hiccup, but I do insist you take more to even the cost. Your papers are worth a fortune to the right buyers," he wasn't lying. He had seen times where men would literally fight to the death over her works, there were even times when he would be threatened to bring more or it was his head. Hiccup's talents with machines and weapons was both a blessing to those in need of protection and a curse to those inflicted by the pain and suffering it brought.

He could never tell her that though, because he knew she only did it out of her need to defend her people and not for the destruction of others.

"If you insist, whatever Gustav finds for himself will go into evening the cost," she turned over to find him and nearly dropped her crate she had just lifted again at the sight before her.

…

Gustav had been browsing the various crates and chest filled with artifacts of bronze and copper while Hiccup and Trader Johann talked business. He never really got the opportunity to board his ship since his mother rarely ever took him to see the ship when he came to port.

Today was different and so he looked with curiosity at all the valuables before his eyes. From small gems to an array of metal pots and pans, Johann seemed to have it all aboard his vessel.

Too focused on the contents on the boat, he failed to notice he was walking right into the path of someone. He collided with the person's backside and processed to step away and regain his bearings.

"I'm sorry, I…" he was cut off by a strong grip to his shirt, lifting him off the boat floor and to eye level with his attacker.

"Yeah, you better be. Don't you have any respect for authority? And I thought throwing you down the well would teach you some manners," Snotlout snickered as Gustav tried to desperately release himself from his hold, kicking the air and prying at his grip.

"Please, Snotlout, I didn't see you there," he tried to reason with Snotlout as he was shuck under his grasp.

"Well now you'll be seeing stars," Snotlout raised his fist high, ready to take aim at the younger boy.

Gustav closed his eyes and waited for the worst.

Inches before his fist could reach Gustav's face, a small but strong hand held his fist back in a tight lock, forcing him down to his knees from the sheer power of the individual pushing him. It was all so fast that he had to double take on the person who stopped him, it was Hiccup.

She had a fiery look in her eyes, as if setting a forest ablaze. The once calm expression on her face was now darkened as she glared into his blue eyes.

"You know, Snotlout, if you want to pick a fight, do it with someone your age or with the same mental capacity as yourself. Now, drop him, gently."

Her voice wasn't above her normal volume, but every man, woman and youth within sight of the event could clearly hear what she had said. The tone she held was authoritative. It still kept the softness she was known for, yet her words were far more abrasive than the sharpest of steels.

With his arm still in the air, Snotlout slowly lowered it to where Gustav's legs were firmly planted to the wooden deck, releasing his grasp. There was something in the way she presented herself just now that cause him to shutter in both respect and fear. Hiccup wasn't known for her bravery, more so her tolerance, but here she was, bringing him to his knees by merely forcing his fist down. He was startled and somehow turned-on by her sudden dominating presence.

Gustav freed from his clutches, she leaned in towards Snotlout. "Next time, you mess with Gustav, you'll have to go through me first and trust me," she tightened her hold on his fist, it was enough to make him lose his breath. "You don't want that."

She released his fist and positioned herself up. Once she did, her mind cleared and she realized what she had done. Hiccup felt a shiver of fear crawl up her spine as she looked around at the villagers whose eyes were fixed on her.

All was silent till someone from the crowd cheered out in utter joy.

"It's about time someone put him in his place!" she turned over to see it was Gobber himself, a big proud smile on his face. Soon the crowd followed, clapping and praising Hiccup.

All her years, the Jorgenson boy terrorized her with horrible pranks and teasing yet she never complained or retaliated on her own defense. But seeing him do the same to another lit the fire inside her to take action and put an end to his terror. Like a truly strong chief, she settled her battle with diplomacy not her fist. If there was ever a replacement for Stoick the Vast in his absence, Hiccup proved to be a worthy successor; someone who stood for the weak and defenseless even when clearly out matched.

She wasn't too sure how to react to the praise, she wasn't used to so much positive feedback for something she did. Hiccup walked over to Gustav, who had his eyes on her.

"Are you okay?" she kneeled to his level, examining his face for any sign of bruising.

"I'm fine, Hiccup, thanks for saving me back there."

She brought him in for a tight hug. "I'm just glad you're alright. I'm so sorry for putting you on the spot like this." She had hoped nobody would learn of her secretly helping him from situations, not wanting him to be labeled as a 'hiccup' and now they knew.

Gustav returned the hug and wriggled himself out of her hold. "Don't be, because I know us Riders look after one another, strong or weak. I'm happy it's you who looks after me, Hiccup."

Hiccup gave him a sweet smile before rising up. "Thanks, Gustav. I wanted to tell you this, you can pick out whatever want from Trader Johann. My treat for doing so well this morning."

Eagerly, he looked around for something special, something he knew he'd use and keep forever. After moving a few baskets, he came upon a small wooden box with a decoratively carved feather on the center of the lid. He opened the box and inside was a long beautiful feather, a dark brown from the top and white near the bottom of the quill. He ran his fingers over the feathery threads, its shape not splitting apart.

"That, my young lad, is the feather of the great eagle of the Western Plains. Legends from its land say that the feather never tares or loses luster and that it brings its keeper good fortune and happiness," Trader Johann continued with a story as his usual routine, with Hiccup and Gustav listening with a sense he was embellishing certain parts of his tale for dramatic flair.

"This is what I want," Gustav presented the box to Hiccup, waiting for a conformation.

"I think it's a wonderful find. What do you say, Johann, are we even now?"

Trader Johann gave a firm nod. "Perfectly. A truly spectacular trade for two evenly spectacular youth. I must ask thought, young Mister..."

"Gustav Larson, sir," he answered.

"Yes, Mister Gustav, earlier you acknowledged yourself and Madam Hiccup was 'Riders', whatever did you mean by that?"

Gustav nor Hiccup had noticed it until now. He had addressed them as riders in the spur of the moment. How were they going to fix this mess?

"Oh, uh, did I say 'riders'? What I meant to say was 'farriers'. Must have slipped my tongue, ha-ha," he tried to defend as best he could, knowing it was a longshot.

"I see, very well. Words do tend to slip the tongue so easily it seems, reminds me of the time I was at port in the waters of…" before he could continue another long tale, Hiccup save them both from hearing anymore.

"Hey, will you look at the time, we're burning daylight and you still have so many customers to tend to. We best be getting back to the forge," she went over to her crate of food and powders, taking them in hand. "Thank you so much for the trades, Johann, it's always a pleasure to have you on Berk."

"You're absolutely right, Madam Hiccup, and the pleasure is all mine," he reached for her hand once more for farewell.

With items in hand, they made their way back to the forge to continue their lessons

"Gustav!" Gobber had met them back in the forge, his newly traded items pulled behind on a cart. "Since, I still have dragon training to tend to, why don't you join me. See the tools of the trade in action."

Gustav looked over to Hiccup. He honestly didn't want to see the caged dragons get hurt, but he knew it would mean a lot to Gobber to have him there and learn.

She gave him a reassuring pat on his helmet. "Go on, it's a good environment to study on both weapon and dragon reaction. Gothi and Gobber will be there to make sure everything is alright." Hiccup leaned in closer as to whisper in his ear. "You want me to feed Fanghook for you?"

"Please and thank you," he whispered back. "I'll catch his share for lunch when I get back."

With that settled, Gustav and Gobber dropped their things at the forge before making their way to the arena, leaving Hiccup behind with her crate of goods, a document holder and two baskets of fish.

…

When she got home, the first thing she did was set the baskets to the side and her document tube on the table before putting away the food. She looked over the mangoes, giving them a strong sniff. It took most of her will to not just devour them all at once, so she placed three into her satchel for later on her flight with Toothless.

Hiccup planned to go farther in flight today than the shores of Berk, wanting to test how the fin would hold against long travels. A smile grew on her face, _I should pack a lunch if we're going to be traveling for a few hours._

She prepared four steamed and grilled chard wraps stuffed with a mash of onions, wild mushrooms, potatoes and parsnips, along with her mangoes and a small half of bread. Carefully folding her wraps and bread in a cloth, she placed her meal into her satchel and several bags of powder paint to try them out.

Everything set, Hiccup grabbed her things before heading out the back door to the cove.

…

Toothless was still sleeping when Hiccup arrived to the cove. She quietly placed the baskets to the earth and rearranged her luggage, it was becoming increasingly difficult to carry everything she brought.

To her surprise, Fanghook was already awake, calmly staring at two butterflies dancing it the breeze. She took one basket and slowly walked up to him. He felt her presence and looked around for Gustav.

"He'll be here later, Fanghook, until then I brought you some breakfast," she patted his snout and laid the pile of fish before him, which he slowly dove into. _For something called the Monstrous Nightmare, they seem pretty docile,_ she thought before remembering to the night of the raid. From what she now knew, the Nightmare was probably after her because she smelled of sweet grass and possibly figured her some form of threat.

It seemed like such a long time ago that looking back on it now, she realized she and Toothless grew so much in friendship since that fateful day. From her fear to his fury, they changed that into a bond like no other. She'd hate the day where she'd finally finish his fin and he'd leave. Maybe he'd stay? But that wasn't an option they had in the world they lived in.

_He's a dragon and I'm a Viking, what was I expecting to happen?_

Hiccup shook the feeling away, leaving Fanghook to his meal as she walked to her sleeping prince.

Sitting by his sleeping form, she gently nudged him awake. He stretched his legs and wings, letting out a wide yawn before nuzzling his face to hers, greeting her to the day.

"Good morning to you too, bud." She put her hand to the basket. "Breakfast is ready for you. Finish up, and we'll take a long ride to test the fins endurance to long distances."

Lifting the lid, he dug into his feast, anxious to get out again with Hiccup. He realized it after his seventh cod, he was ready to go with her and not alone like he always had. Before, flying high into the clouds and racing the wind was something he did on his own but now he wanted to share that world with Hiccup. Sure, he needed her to fly, but that wasn't the reason he wanted her there with him, he couldn't put his paw on it, but he felt something strong for her.

For now, he'd just finish his fish and then show her the world.

…

They spiraled high above the clouds, savoring the fresh early morning air to their bodies. Past the snow laced mountains of Berk, Hiccup released the fin while Toothless pulled due north, riding the current.

"Alright, Toothless, let's do this," Hiccup tightened her grip on the rails but he kept to the same speed. She pouted and gave him an encouraging pat. "Come on, you gotta give me more than that, bud. It's the only way I'll know if your fin can handle it."

Lowering herself, she softly whispered into his ear, her voice hinted with wildness. "Show me what you've got."

Something in the way she said it sounded like a challenge, and if there was one thing Toothless liked, it was to be tested to his limits. He narrowed his vision, flared his nostrils and stroked his wings with great force.

She wanted to go fast. He'd give her fast.

The thrust send them forward like a bullet, the wind whistling loudly in her ears and tears began to form on the side of her eyes. Her grip tightened as he dove down, spinning like crazy before whipping to the left and out to the vast open plains of the water and sky.

He just kept going faster, increasing in speed with every thrust of his wings. He was determined to go faster than any time he flew before. Occasionally he'd zip from side to side and rip through the clouds in spiraling, creating a vortex in the moisture rich fluffs in the sky. He was living it.

He felt free.

Hiccup kept silence as Toothless jetted across the plain of zephyrs and cloud trails, not out of fear, but sheer thrill. The adrenaline rush in her system streamed to every vein in her bloodstream and she felt a tightness around her. This was a high like no other and she could understand why he was vengeful in the beginning to lose it. Flying was now her new addiction and for as long as she could, she'd continue to surf the skies at high speeds.

She lowered her foot on the pedal, extending the fin to the max and they flew forward like a lightning bolt. Hiccup had to tighten her hold on the rail and lean her body closer to the saddle, becoming more streamline. Her chest on the leather, she could feel the pounding of Toothless' heart drum into her own and it seemed hers was desperately trying to match his rhythm. She let out several calming breath as her body relaxed to the pressure around her.

Toothless could feel her tiny body press onto his back and his heart tightened. Despite the regress flight and intensity of it all, her heartbeat remained at a certain level of calmness. The light echoes in her chest transferred to his, syncing the beats together in the middle of their heart rates. Looking around, he saw the gentle blue waters below and the spotted world above, this was the world he wanted to give to her.

Vast freedom.

He tilted downward, hoping to lift them up further into the heaven, but his speed combined with Hiccup relaxed stated and grip on the rails lose caused her to slide forward, plunging from the clouds.

"_Not again,_" Toothless whispered to himself as he saw her body descend before his eyes.

Her body flipped over from the fall, heading back first towards the sea but she never realized any of it, too drunk on the thrill of flight. When she opened her eyes, she could see Toothless above her, darting towards her falling form. She didn't panic however, even though she knew what was happening, her mind and body remained at peace. All she could see was Toothless' determined face and his body closing the gap between them, increasing his speed as he made his was to her. Hiccup gave his a sweet smile and extended her arms out to him, knowing he'd catch her if ever she'd fall.

The image of her arms out mirrored his dream four days ago with the shadows and eyes around him. She was the silhouette of the person reaching out for him. He could pick up the sweet trail of sweet grass as he raced to her. Hiccup was smiling out to him and his fears vanished. She trusted him with her life and he would do anything in his power to protect it from harm.

Closing the gap between them, Hiccup stretched her arms under his jaw, lightly caressing his scales as their eyes locked together and for a moment the world stopped moving. Time halted, as the gods were allowing these two soul to situate for as long as they needed to drink in each other's being.

Leaning closer to him, she brought her hands around his neck kissing his cheek and lovingly whispering to him. "I trust you."

"_And I'm falling for you,"_ Toothless purred loudly, softly rubbing his cheek to hers.

She reached out and grabbed the rails with her hand, once she did, time continued forward and they were plummeting from the sky once more. Hiccup pulled her body up and regained position on the saddle, placing her foot to the pedal and opening the fin.

His fin extended, Toothless spread his wings out, the air lifting him slightly as he glided across the open air. They were still pretty high up, in the space between clouds and currents of the deep.

Cruising for a few more miles, Hiccup spotted a pillar shooting out of the waters, high about the reaches of the waves. She gave Toothless a firm pat, signaling fir them to land, which he complied with.

…

The top of the tall island was a small patch of parades. There were several mid-sized trees and soft moss covered the floor. A thin stone wall on one side on the island circled half the circumference, shielding them the gust of winds above. A small natural spring of freshwater hailed on the left side, clear of any fish and the liquid sparkled with the light from the afternoon sunlight.

Hiccup was certain no man had ever been on this island considering how high up it was, making her the pioneer of this beautiful oasis. She reached into her satchel and pulled out her sketchbook and pencil. "If we flew northwest of Berk, we should be about…here," she drew a small spot onto a page after placing a picture of Berk in the center.

"I'm gonna call it, the Isle of Oasis, what you think, bud?" she asked with Toothless responding by nuzzling her hair. "Let's take a lunch break. I think I can catch you some fish from up here."

She pulled out her fishing rod from the tube connected to Toothless' saddle and locked the pieces together to form the rod. Taking a small piece of bread from her satchel, she hooked it and whipped the line out to sea, catching something after a few moments in the water.

After about half an hour she had a small pile of forty-seven fish for Toothless, the waters rich with wild cod and sea bass. He waited patiently as she fished each one, even helping her pull in several feisty one's ever now and then.

"Okay, bud, let's dig in," she sat on a nearly stone as she pulled out her cloth of chard wraps with Toothless sitting by his buffet of fish. They both ate slowly, admiring the openness of the world before them. Hiccup could barely see Berk, it being only a small peddle in her eyes. Taking a bite out of her wrap she enjoyed this new-found freedom with the one person she could trust on the world.

Finishing her wraps, she pulled out a mango, ready to try out the sweet fruit. The flesh was firm and slightly bitter, but the inner meat was juicy and bright yellow. Sugary sap trailed down her lips and she swiftly lapped it with her tongue. Hiccup reached into her satchel and from her tool roll, pulled out a small carving tool, peeling away the skin in a single spiral.

The aroma of sweetness led its way into Toothless' nose after his last fish was gone. He lifted his head and followed the smell to Hiccup, hovering over her shoulder. She looked up to him, his eyes planted on the golden meat in her palm.

"Oh you want some? It's really good," she carved out half of the fruit for him, getting as close to the seed as possible to gain the most amount of fruit.

He gave it a strong sniff before accepting it with his gummy mouth. Letting the sugary fruit sit in his mouth he bit into the buttery meat, the juicy flavor coating his mouth. He drank the golden liquid and swallowed the mango, lapping his jowl for more. Hiccup taking a slow bite out of her half, he waited till her lips left the fruit and striked forward, taking it from her grasp.

It took a few moments for her to comprehend what just happened. "Huh?" she looked over to Toothless who greedily chewed on the fruit before spitting out a bare seed.

"Guess you really like it, bud," she pulled out her second mango and peeled the rind from the meat of the fruit and once it was gone, he struck again, this time savoring the fruit slowly. "Hey!"

She puffed her cheeks and lifted herself to the farther side of the island, cutting away at her last piece of fruit, wanting to at least have one to herself. The skin gone she was ready to take a bite when she felt the hot breath of someone behind her. He was ready to pounce and take the fruit, Hiccup dodging him but crouching under his leg and heading in the opposite direction. Toothless followed close behind, snapping his gummy jaws towards her and the juice coated treat.

This happened for some time before he managed to pin her down, her stomach to the ground and the fruit extended out in front, cradled in her palms. Toothless leaned in to take the mango, only to have Hiccup pull it towards her and devouring the yellow meat herself, cleaning the delicious snack from the seed. She gave him a satisfied smirk, knowing she bested him. He smirked devilishly and tipped her over to her front side, licking away at the traces of mango juice trickling down her chin and neck. Slowly running his oral organ over her sweet skin, leaving no trace of mango sap on her lips and neckline.

The tickling sensation caused her to push him off with her hands, to which he cleaned spotless, still laced with the fruit syrup. Once he was sure she was done with being so sweet, he looked into her glowing eyes and licked her cheek once more in affection. She gave him more fun than he ever dreamed he could experience.

Eyes still planted on hers, he felt a shiver run down his spine. He was so close to her. A patter in his heart caused him to jump up from towering over her, allowing her to rise.

_What am I thinking?! Licking her like that and tell her 'I falling for you'? I mean sure I am, I mean, I was falling to get her, but I couldn't possibly…, _he tried to deny the growing feeling he had for her in his heart. What was he possibly hoping for? For them to stay together forever and never let go?

_Get real Toothless, it's impossible,_ he though as he noticed her take several bags out of her satchel. _She's a Viking and I'm a dragon._

…

Clearing away the saliva from her face, Hiccup walked over to her satchel and pulled out the bags of powder pigment, laying them on the ground. Opening one, she looked onto a bright blue, like the color or sapphires. Dipping her fingers into the dust, they became coated with the same brilliant blue hue.

"Toothless, come here for a minute. I've got something I want to show you," she called and he came walking by slowly, seating himself besides her.

"I got these in trade today, we can use them to mark the island wall, see," she stood up and walked the stone structure, swiping her fingers onto its surface leaving lines of blue on it.

Toothless' ears and scales perked up as he rose to examine the markings. Hiccup walked back to the bags and untied them, exposing the powder so they could leave their markings of the world.

She placed her palm into a bag of black powder, tracing the outline of a Night Fury with one fin, the other she colored in red. Toothless followed suit, dipping his paw into green pigment and brushing the dust onto the wall in abstract shapes. They painted together for sometimes, till they bumped into each other by the hips. Jumping back they looked over to the works each of them created.

Hiccup's paintings were of dragons, from Terrible Terrors to Whispering Deaths. Occasionally she'd draw in a fish, birds and around it all was a mural of the sky and sea. Together, it looked like a world of flying dragons living in harmony. Toothless' paintings were spirals of colors and zigzags stripes of what looked like lightning bolts. There were blue spots like rain and red clawed marking representing fire. It looked like a world of destruction from the elements. The gap between the two pieces had the two of them stare. Hiccup leaned down and dunked her palm into a bag of red dust and Toothless did the same with black.

He pressed his paw onto the center of the stone, in-between the two worlds of harmony and destruction, leaving a black stamp mark. Hiccup placed her red palm over the black image, centering her marking atop his. It was their signature to their work and forever it'd stay.

…

Getting ready to pack up, Hiccup tied up a bag of powder before a hard blow pushed her to the side. Looking at where she was it, she noticed blue powder on her vest. She eyed Toothless, who had his attention to other things, acting as casual as can be but she knew better as his paws were laced with the blue dust.

She scooped a handful of violet and tossed it to his face, bringing his attention to her with a sly smirk on his dusted face.

The battle of colors had begun.


	17. Chapter 17

_Hello again. In this chapter we get a glimpse at who the Red Death is as well as his control over the hive. Hiccup and Toothless develop their friendship and Gustav and Fanghook make new friends. Next chapter will be posted in 4-5 days. Posting this chapter 6-12-2014. Thank you and please enjoy._

…

"_So, has my Night Fury returned yet?_" there was a low and sullen voice that echoed inside the fiery volcano of Dragon Island.

It was no ordinary mountain, this was the nest of several hundred enslaved dragons of all varieties and colors, but they were all the same to the prince, all but one that is.

"_No, my liege. It appears he has vanished," _a high-ranking Boneknapper addressed the Red Death, a lump in his throat went down slowly when he felt the dissatisfied quake of the earth under his talons.

"_Several of our finest fliers are out in search of him as we speak, my lord," _one Nadder added.

The red eyes of the prince fluoresced within the blazing lava and smoke. "_'__**Our**__ finest fliers',"_ he demanded rather than confirmed.

The ground began to quiver as he lunged his body up the narrowing way up the volcanos entrance. With swift movements and a sharper aim, he plucked the Nadder's head clean off, leaving a twitching corpse that dropped into the dark abbess of his mouth.

"_Here, there is no __**our**__, only __**Mine**__. You best remember that you are all __**My**__ property and I'll see fit to do as I please with you, inferior mutts." _He lowered himself down to his heated chambers. "_It's so difficult to find obedient peons these days. Aren't you all not grateful that your 'benevolent' ruler hasn't eaten you all already? Here I am, forcing you all to do my bidding and this is how you repay me? Well, what can I expect from vermin?"_

Turning his focus to the Gronckle, who unknown to him, knew where the Night Fury was and whom he was with. "_Gronckle, my Whispering Death has gone rogue as well. Care to explain how the scouting partner I assigned with you is gone?_"

The Gronckle kept an exterior coolness while his insides were running wild with panic and dread. "_My liege, Whispering Death left me on her own accord. She thought it possible, but not likely, that Night Fury was captured by humans._"

There were low whispers in the air, Night Fury was the highest ranking officer in the hive, second only to the prince himself. Capturing him would be near impossible and yet he hadn't returned in six days, it was now a growing possibility.

Red Death gave a hiss, silencing the hive.

He looked to the Gronckle with his six ferocious eyes. "_Find her and bring her to me, I'm the only one around here giving orders," _a slight growl in his voice. It was frustrating enough his prized first officer was M.I.A., now he had to deal with his second setting her own objectives.

Not while he was in rule.

"_Sire,"_ the Gronckle nodded before lifting his titan wings.

"_Another thing. Search for my Night Fury once more, only you can properly sniff him out,_" Red Death commanded before the Gronckle exited the opening of the volcano.

"_Yes, my liege._"

With that, the hive began to silently gossip amounts each other, wondering what in the world was happening.

"_Nadder,_" Red Death stared to a green Nadder, cowering in the corner. "_Last night's raid haul seemed rather low, why is that?_"

She gulped before answering her overload. "_It was all that was available from the Viking Island with dark forests. We are grateful for what you so generously donated to feed the hatchlings._" She turned over to a deep hole carved in the mountain where a large liter of yearlings who stayed silent out of hunger and fear. In truth, he only provided three small mackerels to divide between hundreds of starving youngsters while he devoured enough cattle and wild game to stock fifteen barns.

In order to keep a steady stream of devoted pawns, Red Death would force breeding on only the strongest of dragons while the weak and old would immediately be eliminated. Usually by cannibalism.

He had not use for imperfection.

When breeding wasn't enough, he'd send out several dragons to go out and steal eggs from various rookeries across the world. It helped keep his kingdom filled with loyal subjects and prevented cross breeding.

"_Well if the next catch is less than exceptional, there will be less mouths to feed. I'd rather start a fresh batch of hatchlings than starve myself like a common reptile such as yourself."_

The Nadder's eyes flew open, but there was nothing she nor any of the other mothers could do except bow and say "_Yes, your grace._"

"_My liege,_" a Nightmare came from a cavern, bowing to his ruler. "_The same trio of ships have returned. What are the orders?_"

"_Ugh, such pathetic creatures. Eliminate them, show no mercy," _he huffed in annoyance.

Nothing was going his way, and when things didn't go his way, he'd lose his temper. He flung his claw to a wall, capturing several Zipplebacks in his massive claw and tightened his grip on them, crushing them into a bloody pulp before shoving the flattened snack into his mouth.

He showed no mercy to any, not even to his own kind.

…

Far off, on calm waters near a wall of thick fog, Stoick and his crew draw nearer to the blanketed line of mist ahead. Looking to his map, he gave a frustrated sigh. They had entered the fog nearly a hundred times, always ending up in a different direction with no results. They never touched land, or saw any visible trace of the foul beasts, only the silent shadows and whispering movements of wings.

"Steady," Stoick called out to his crew and two other ships.

From the top of the fog, a break revealed three tall pillars. It was their only sign of land, but it was defiantly not the nest. He gave the towers a cold stare, they had been mocking him since they first arrived three days ago. Always within sight, but never within reach. He was slowly losing his sanity, thinking the gods themselves were shifting the waters around them, taunting their endeavors to relieve themselves from the scale menaces.

"Take us in," he commanded.

"Hard to port!" the helmsmen aboard Stoick's vessel cried out. The echoing orders traveled from ship to ship, till they all steered into the soup once more for the twenty-second time that morning.

"For Helheim's gate," Stoick stood tall, piercing deep into the bank, hoping to catch a glimpse of something that could be lurking in the mist.

Soon, all three ships were ripping though the waters and cutting into the murky clouds ahead. As the last piece of the final ship entered the bank, the same silence surrounded them, a slight humming in the distance their only indication of something sinister ahead.

Inside the fog, the loud cry of a Monstrous Nightmare echoed out before blast of fire and invisible teeth ripped off several parts of their boats. One fire blast shot dead center on the middle boat, exploding it and sending its passengers to the waters below.

Stoick reached out into the deep. "Grab my hand!" he took hold of men and women, helping them onto his boat.

Another blast destroyed the mast of the third ship, falling and cracking the boat down the middle. Soon the passengers from that ship swam over to Stoick's, still intact but with significant damage to its body.

"What now, Stoick?!" Spitelout asked as he pulled in the last woman onto their vessel.

As much as he hated to retreat, he wouldn't put his people into anymore danger. He may have been on the verge of mental breakdown, but he'd never go so far as to risk their lives. He looked to them, some wet with signs of fatigue in their eyes.

It was over.

"Turn back, we head for home," he lowered his shoulders. "There's nothing more we can do."

With heavy hearts and a heavier ship, they turned back to Berk with no relief to their problem.

Stoick looked out as the afternoon sun came into sight as they exited the fog.

Mrs. Larson came up behind him, giving his shoulder a firm pat. "You did all you could, Stoick."

He responded with a nod. The image of his daughter came into his mind.

_I'm sorry, Hiccup, I couldn't end this war._

…

The war was over.

By the time the last particle of powder was emptied from the flat bags, both Hiccup and Toothless were covered from head to toe in the rich colors of the rainbow. Panting heavily, they finally fell flat to the ground side by side, exhausted from running around the tiny island with little places to hide from oncoming sprays of dust. Hiccup's hair was colored green and yellow while her face had splashes of orange and blue. The colors showed more vividly on Toothless' jet-black scales, digging into small crevasses, leaving outlines of the spectrum.

They had been laughing and playing together, even wrestled over bags of pigment, rolling around in the dirt and colored dust till the entire island looked as though a hurricane of wild arrays flew by.

Hiccup leaned closer to Toothless and gave him a firm but playful punch to his arm, giggling merrily as she did so. Toothless fought back by rolling over her, wrapping his arms and wings around her body, proceeding to circle the island with her in his grasp.

They performed an entire lap around the soft cornucopia of moss till he stopped, hovering over her protectively.

That sweet bright smile he adored so much laced her face and echoed into her eyes, shining brighter than any star or gem he had ever witnessed. He let out a possessive growl, brushing his chin over her soft hair.

Sometimes, he'd forget they were supposed to be enemies, letting his guard down whenever he was with her. She was the only creature who got a chance to witness his caring and gentle side. Normally he was unmoved, still and strong like iron with eyes that commanded fear and authority. Molded to be the perfect solider for a tyrant of a prince.

He didn't want her to see him that way, not again. He refused to make her cry like when they first met. She looked terrified then and had the right to be, he intended to eradicate her from the world, not just once but twice.

Looking back on it now, he couldn't understand why she stayed by his side, feeding him, showing him affection, even going so far as to restoring what had been lost to him. He was the Night Fury: deadly, knowing only to destroy and bring misfortune to humanity. And yet here, this precious girl who was his sworn enemy, considered him to be her best friend.

The fluttering feeling in the pit of his stomach bubbled into his heart; he was starting to grow fond of this new sensation that enwrapped his entire being. He pressed her closer into his hold, refusing to let go.

…

Hiccup stared into Toothless' bowenite irises and dilated pupils, lost inside of them. She wondered why he allowed her to get so close. Was she so weak and pathetic that he felt pity for her? Was it because of the way she smelled? Maybe he truly did enjoy her company?

_No_, she thought. _I'm nothing special compared to a Night Fury. He only cares about his fin, I'm sure of it._

Her heart skipped a beat when he rubbed his chin atop her head so lovingly. If he could see, he'd realize her face glow bright crimson, more vibrant than the colors dusted on her cheeks. She placed her palms onto his chest, not noticing until now how powerful and built he was. So much strength and raw dominance yet here he was, fondly holding her in his arms with such delicacy like she was fragile silk. He had so much control, he could just snap her in two like a stick if he wanted to, and instead he kept her shielded in his arms.

A fizzing pressure jolted though her body and straight into her heart, causing it to speed out of control with every purr vibrating from his voice. She was becoming dizzy from the growing feeling inside her and for some reason, she loved it.

He slowly lifted himself, his paws still wrapped around her midsection, and gazed deep into her eyes once more. His lids closed slightly, taking in the image of her beautiful face and carving it into his head. A tender smirk lined his expression noticing the hints of pink on her cheeks. She looked too cute.

Leaning in closer, he let his mind shutdown, going solely on instinct as his lids slowly closed fully.

Hiccup's breathing softened, as her eyes fluttered shut by some strange force of nature, remaining still.

_This is so wrong,_ they both thought. _But somehow, so right._

The gap between their lips drew closer, mere centimeters from touching till the grumbling sound of something brought them back to reality.

…

Turning their heads, they noticed seated on the moss a few feet away, was the Gronckle. His expression was a mixture of intrigue and befuddlement, an obvious grin on his face.

Both teenagers lifted themselves quickly as if what was about to happen never happened.

"Hello again," Hiccup greeted, feeling rather awkward and embarrassed. "I'm gonna start packing up," she pointed to the bags of empty pigments and fishing rod. "You two catch up."

She slowly backed away, leaving the boys to catch up.

Toothless watched as she walked away, regretting they had been seen as she looked red in the face. He turned his attention to the Gronckle who still had a wide grin plastered on.

"_Enjoying yourself quite nicely I see, sir,"_ he said with a chuckle under his breath.

"_Attention, solider! What do you have to report?_" Toothless remained professional on the outside, but inside he was recanting how stupid he was for letting his guard down.

"_Yes, sir. Red Death is losing his patience and taking it out on the hive and the yearlings," _the Gronckle replied. "_Apparently, Whispering Death has gone rogue and with you away for so long, command in the ranks is in sheer chaos. We need you back, ASAP."_

Toothless was not expecting this kind of news. "_Damn , Hiccup is so close to getting me out on my own, we just need more time._"

"_I don't know how much time we have left, sir. Red Death has already eaten half the Zippleback population and just took off the fourth commanding officer's head. If things escalate, we may be looking at rebuilding the hatchery and losing half the hive."_

Looking back to Hiccup, Toothless could see her fiddling with her satchel. He looked down in defeat. "_Please, just a bit longer. I know she'll have it done before it's too late._"

Before the Gronckle could reply, Hiccup returned to their side, her items in hand along with several sandstones and fair sized quartz. "You must be hungry, here you go."

He stared at the rocks before him. He was hungry, Red Death prevented other members of the hive to eat until he was satisfied, which wasn't too often. He gobbled up the stones with no restraint, and like before, ended up with a serious case of indigestion.

"_You never learn, do you,_" Toothless shot him a disappointed look as Hiccup once again relieved him of his misery.

"Maybe you need to slow it down?" she asked as he spewed out bright red lava onto a nearly stone, the cold air chilling it in mere minutes

The material was defiantly different from Gronckle Iron. It was still relatively light, but appeared clear like a thin sheet of crystal. Formed over the stone, it held a dome shape. Hiccup slowly lifted the sheet and looked through it, the image of Toothless and the Gronckle appeared so close, as if they were inches from her eyes. Pulling out the same carving tool she used for the mango, she carefully cut out a perfect circle from the center, and a smaller one adjacent to the first, the natural curve remaining even around.

Carefully examining the circular sheet, her eyes widened. "Glass?" She had only read about it in several books she owned but she never thought she'd live to actually see, hold or even learn to make it. Glass wasn't something you came by every day, this was truly a rare item.

The Gronckle looked curiously at her. Her interest in these things were odd but she wasn't a typical Viking. Hiccup smiled at him and brought him only quartz. "Don't eat too fast, you'll get sick. Just take it easy."

He did as he was told, slowly savoring the crisp and refreshing taste of quartz.

Hiccup stared at him eating before looking over to Toothless. "Don't worry about Toothless, I'll get his fin finished in no time. I know you're worried about your friend. I'll have him on his own two wings, good as new, I promise"

While he was relieved to hear that, yet he couldn't help but notice the slight resistant in her voice or the pained look in her eyes.

She'd truly miss the Night Fury when he'd go, and the Gronckle knew he'd miss her just as much.

"_I'll do my best to try to buy you two some time," _he said to Toothless whose eyes were planted on Hiccup.

"_Thank you, Gronckle,_" Toothless leaned forward and brushed his snout to the back of Hiccup's neck, grateful he didn't have to leave her side so soon.

…

Once dragon training was over, Gobber and Gustav headed over to the forge where they pounded on molten steel and hard iron. They worked for a few hours till Gobber needed to go and have an overview with the trainers, leaving him free to go see Fanghook.

Taking his satchel and placing his new feather with its box into it, he made his way to the marketplace, where he purchased a basket full of fish before walking off into the forest.

When he reached the cove, Fanghook was patiently waiting by the entrance, a wag in his tail upon seeing him.

"Hey, boy. Lunch time," Gustav crawled under the shield and opened the basket, allowing Fanghook to eat his meal in peace.

Both remained mostly silent seated on the dirt, till the grumbling sounds echoing Gustav's stomach roared out. Fanghook took a salmon and presented it to him.

"Thanks, Fanghook, but I can't eat raw fish. I'll get sick," Gustav said as he reached out for it.

Before he grabbed hold of it, Fanghook tossed the fish into the air, letting out a steam of fire onto it before it flew down to Gustav's hands. He smiled up to his dragon and both began to enjoy their lunch together.

Looking around, he couldn't see Hiccup or Toothless around. _Must be out flying?_ He thought with a big chunk of cooked salmon in his mouth.

After both had their meal, Gustav stood up. "So, what should we practice today?"

Fanghook took Gustav off the ground in a soft jaw hug, running around the cove, ready to let out energy. He made one lap before letting him go, Gustav dashing forward with Fanghook chasing after him in their little game of tag. Once they worked up a sweat, Gustav mounted Fanghook and gave a firm pat with his foot to his neck.

"Come on, boy. Let's fly!"

With that said, Fanghook lifted himself off the ground and circled around the cove, releasing sprays of fire as they flew. Gustav chuckled and laughed with every turn and spin Fanghook performed, thrilled to finally be flying with him after waiting for so long.

One blast of fire caught a low hanging tree branch, slowly trailing its way up the tree.

"Oh no!" Gustav gave Fanghook another tap, confirming him to let him down. He landed near the tree, Gustav jumping off and running towards the burning tree. He vigorously tried to extinguish the flames with strong blows of breath, with no effect. He began to panic as the flames grew higher.

"Oh no! Oh no! Oh, what do we do!? What do we do!? WHAT DO WE DO!?" he jumped looking over to Fanghook for an answer.

"_I don't know! I don't know! I don't know!_" Fanghook began to circle around the fires, panicking as he sensed the mood of the situation.

Looking around, Gustav noticed the wooden bucket near the vegetable garden and raced to it, filling it with water. He ran back and forth from the pond to the tree, trying to die out the flames. It worked on the lower part of the trunk, but the upper branches were still ablaze.

From the panic, Fanghook could hear the chirping cries from something atop the tallest branch. Finding the source of the noise, he noticed a small woven sparrow's nest, a chick crying out for help. He felt awful, being the reason the tree was in the state it was. Standing on the tips of his talons, he reached out and gently plucked the nest from the branch before it caught flame. He placed it softly on the ground, turned around and began to dig at the slightly moist earth, flinging dirt onto the tree and finally smothering the fire.

Both boys looked to the smoking twigs that were once lush green leaves on thick branches. Gustav walked over to the nest Fanghook rescued, the baby sparrow still alive but shaken up pretty badly. He slowly lifted the nest, examining the bird who remained still. Its wing looked injured as it held it close to its body.

He's heart sank, knowing he was responsible for this.

"Think Hiccup and Toothless will notice?" he asked his Nightmare.

"_Naw, it's hardly noticeable,"_ he grumbled as a black twig snapped to the ground in smoking chunks.

"We're dead/_We're dead,_" they both muttered as they patiently waited on the dry earth with the tiny sparrow to look after.

…

With the Gronckle fed and ready to head off after Toothless explained where the Whispering Death was, Hiccup and he went off to do the same.

They rode a strong current home keeping close to the cover of the clouds above. The mid-day sun shined brightly above them, leaving their shadowy imprints of the tops of clouds. She felt so alive and free. Up here, there were no boundaries, nobody to tell her she was weak or different and that she was a pitiful excuse for a Viking.

Hiccup was herself for the first time in so many years, laughing and smiling, ready for the taste of adventure and knowledge. When her mother disappeared, she lost that spark that made her who she was and shut herself from the world around her. The only person who took her in so kindly was Gobber, taking her in as an apprentice in order to relieve the pain of losing her best friend and parent. She fondly remembered that day.

…

_It had been a week since Valka's disappearance, most believed she was long gone, eaten by the great beast that snatched her away. None ever told Hiccup their thoughts, feeling it better to not open freshly cut wounds for her as she was barely starting to stop the tears from her eyes._

_The morning sun wasn't up yet, but Hiccup was. She changed from her sleeping tunic and dressed in her dark pants, long-sleeved forest tunic and fur vest before grabbing her large satchel and tip-toeing down the stairs. She made sure not to make a sound as she reached the main floor, quietly making her way to peek into her father's room. He was stiff, in deep sleep and she took that as a chance to walk towards the front door and silently sneak out._

_There was nobody outside to stop her as she raced towards the forge where a light glowed brightly from the fire pit and hammering noise on metal could be heard. When she got to the entrance, she hugged a beam and peered in from the corner of her eyes._

_Gobber struck heated metal, straightening the blade before dunking the finished product into cool water. He stretched his spine as he placed the sword in a barrel with the others, turning over and seeing a tiny shadow near the entrance. He recognized this shadow, it used to tail after its mother, asking questions about life and the wonders of the world. Now it rarely ever revealed itself, hiding in much darker shadows._

"_You can come out, Hiccup, it's alright," he calmly called out._

_Her tiny body revealed itself, trembling slightly as she looked to the ground._

"_What brings you here?" he asked, kneeling down with his good leg._

_Digging into her satchel, Hiccup pulled out a small handmade dagger, showing it to him. His eyes widened in amazement. It was a simple blade, but the edges were perfectly sharpened and the metal evenly straightened. He knew men who could barely even balance a sword properly, and somehow a small four-year old expertly crafted a dagger out of an old metal ladle._

_She stepped forward and presented it to him._

"_You did this all by yourself?" Gobber lifted the dagger from her palms, examining it closely._

_Hiccup gave a weak nod to respond. Her body felt hot with embarrassment. Maybe he would think it was a waste like her? She had heard the other children her age say the dragon should have taken her instead because at least they wouldn't have a 'Hiccup' anymore. She turned around ready to leave before a voice pulled her to stay._

"_Mind showing me how you did it?" Gobber raised himself as he took hold of Hiccup's small hand, leading her into the forge where she showed him how she made daggers from spoons._

…

From that day forward, she would help out in the forge, sweeping soot from the floor or bringing in scrape pieces of metal from the back of the shop. She had kept it a secret from her father till he found out from several villagers.

He was cross at first, but after a few words with Gobber, allowed her to stay, this way she kept out-of-the-way. She worked her way up from sweeping to inventory till finally becoming apprentice at the age of seven, the youngest in the history of Berk. Her mind saw the world differently and with it, she crafted machines and weapons the likes the world had never seen before. They gave her a place in the community as well as a name across the sea as she traded her prints to Trader Johann.

For ten years she and Gobber worked together and for the most part, she gained some of her spark, but not enough to bring back the sweet smile for others to see once more.

…

By the time they reached Berk, Sharpshot was waking from his afternoon nap.

After meeting with Hiccup and her jerk of a Night Fury friend, he had to go off and find his crew who so kindly left him. He had made it to the entrance of a village where he spotted his crew stealing fish from an unsuspecting shopkeeper.

A teenaged boy with large arms and what seemed to be a larger attitude noticed the small Terrors and tried to squash them with his overgrown feet. Sharpshot flew in close and gave a hot blast of flames to the boy's behind. The lug ran off to a bucket of water and doused his pain away, allowing Sharpshot to assist his teammates with carrying the load of fish.

Now he was back on the stretch of beach they all had met and upon seeing both come into sight, he perked up and flew straight for their path.

"Sharpshot! Where've you been, pal?" Hiccup stretched her arms out as he flew into her embrace.

"_Yeah, where have you been and can you go back there and never come back?"_ Toothless groaned as he headed towards the cove.

He didn't respond as he climbed out of her hold and onto her right shoulder where he perched himself like an eagle. They all flew safely to the cove where she spotted Fanghook, Gustav and a pile of ashes by a burnt tree. Toothless landed them near the spot and Hiccup hopped off.

"What happened here?" she looked over to the pile of broken tree limbs on the ground.

"I uh, I meant to do that," Gustav responded with a half grin, Fanghook's head hovering besides him. "I thought that since you and Toothless were gone, I'd train Fanghook myself, but…" he looked over to the tree.

Hiccup saw how both looked genuinely sorry for what they had done, as well the baby sparrow in its nest cradled in Gustav's hands.

She bent down and gave him a reassuring pat on his helmet, a giggle in her voice, "Gustav, I'm not so sure we have the same definition of 'train', but you two managed to work as a team to stop this fire and you're both safe. Now, who's this little fella?"

Gustav presented the nest to her. "Fanghook rescued him from the tree, I think he's hurt," he said looking to the Terrible Terror perched on her shoulder. "Who's he? And what happened to you two?" he was referring to the copious amount of pigment plastered onto Hiccup and Toothless.

"Oh, this is Sharpshot. Sharpshot, Gustav. And we kind of got into a paint fight," she introduced with both nodding their heads in greeting.

Examining the sparrow, Hiccup could see his little wings tucked close to his sides. "He's alright, he just can't fly yet. Thank you, Fanghook, good job."

"Why do you think he did it?" Gustav asked as Sharpshot hopped from Hiccup's shoulder to his.

"They must have a natural instinct to protect others, it's incredible."

"So, I guess this means we won't be training anymore, huh?" he asked petting Sharpshot behind the horn.

"I wouldn't say that, you two just need a little experience, and I think I know the Terrible Terror who can help with controlling your aim."

…

Forming three targets out of old pieces of log, Hiccup set them up on poles while the rest watched her work.

"Okay, pal, show 'em how it's done," she called out to Sharpshot who jumped from Gustav's helmet into the air, shooting three blast to the targets, knocking them down.

Gustav laid the nest to the ground and ran to the targets, fixing them up. "Fire it up!"

Fanghook took aim to one, not quite making the target as the blast had Gustav dive to the floor.

"_He said 'Fire __**it**__ up' not 'Fire __**at me**__',"_ Toothless called out.

"_Sorry,_" Fanghook walked over to Gustav, lifting him up to his feet.

"Two more shots, you can do this, boy. Just relax," Gustav cheered as Fanghook went back into position.

The second shot was closer to the target, grazing the side but it wasn't enough to knock it down. On the third, Fanghook relaxed his shoulders took a deep breath and cleared his mind. Sending out the final blast, it contacted the target in a bulls-eye, dropping to the ground.

"Yeah, way to go, Fanghook!" Gustav ran to Fanghook giving him a big hug to his snout.

Hiccup smiled and repositioned the targets. "Wanna try, bud?"

Toothless let out a three consecutive blasts, the shots perfectly hitting the targets in the center. He gave a confident smirk as he looked to Fanghook and Sharpshot who looked at him in astonishment.

"And once again, you're just showing off," Hiccup smirked back with her arms crossed.

_Come on, you know you love it,_ Toothless walked over to her, giving her cheek an adoring lick, smearing the colors over her now red face.


	18. Chapter 18

_Hello again. In this chapter, Hiccup and Gustav learn new things, harsh words are said by others and Hiccup comes face to face with her greatest fears. This chapter contains violence and mild torture near the end, so if stuff like that bothers you, I'm sorry. Next chapter to be posted in 5-6 days. This chapter posted 6-15-2014. Thank you, please enjoy and Happy Father's Day._

"…so then the Nadder ran away from Aarne when he chased after her with his axe, and before he got the chance to cut her head off, Gothi stopped the training. I don't think she likes him very much now that she knows how dragons really like, but the way things are now, he's sure to place first." Gustav told Hiccup and the dragons his experience at the arena while they sat under a willow tree, Hiccup taking a portrait of Fanghook while he rocked the sparrow's nest with a claw tipped wing.

Pulling out the Dragon Manual, Hiccup located the page for the Monstrous Nightmare:

_Stocker class. The most lethal dragon in the known world, these foul beast spit sticky lava at its victims and have a nasty habit of lighting their entire body in fire. They are furious blood-thirsty creatures that know no mercy. Hunts in both day and night. Only the best of the best go after this dragon. Extremely dangerous. Kill on sight._

She looked over to Fanghook, relaxed as he watched over the baby sparrow like a doting mother, finding it hard to believe he was as furious as the book claimed. In her sketchbook, she wrote her own description:

_While large and intimidating in appearance, the Monstrous Nightmare is gentle and caring to others. To gain its trust, show it respect. The Monstrous Nightmare have sensitive ears, so deter from shouting or making loud noises._

"What are you writing, Hiccup?" Gustav asked curiously leaned in closer, seeing the image of Fanghook and the information written on the page.

"Gobber gave me the Dragon Manual to continue the documenting legacy, but I'm finding that the information is a bit outdated, so I'm writing down new studies that I've learned from observing them," she said showing him and Fanghook the end results, both smiling in approval.

"There's a few more I want to document before I forget," she continued as she flipped through the pages of the book.

_Gronckle. Boulder class. One of the toughest dragons around, it's impossible to tell its tail from its head. These dragons are the slowest flyer but make up for it in maneuverability and jaw strength, able to rip a full-grown armored Viking in half. Extremely dangerous. Kill on sight._

While she couldn't disagree that they were tough, she knew they possessed a more delicate side. Drawing the Gronckle from the arena as well as the titan winged friend of Toothless, she filled in her sketchbook with her findings.

_Tough, slow and powerful; these dragons have a large appetite for stones and other forms of rocks. If a Gronckle overeats on certain minerals, it can create alloys from its lava. When training a Gronckle, a good soother is sweet grass (dragon nip). They have an excellent sense of smell._

Satisfied, she turned the pages to the Whispering Death:

_Boulder class. The Whispering Death only knows one thing; killing! Extremely dangerous. Kill on sight._

Hiccup gave the book a confused stare before etching an image of Etch into the pages of her book as well as some well needed information.

_This dragon uses its saw-like teeth to eat though solid stone and earth. They avoid direct sunlight and can release spines from any part of its body when threatened. When confronted with a Whispering Death, remain calm and show it you mean no harm. This dragon does not like dragon nip._

Completing her research, Hiccup closed her books and returned them to her satchel. Upon opening the bag, her hammer fell out from her tool roll and onto the boulder near her, catching a ray from the sunlight and bouncing it onto the ground.

Both Toothless and Sharpshot stared at the mysterious beam of light, focused and unmoved by the still circle. Gustav and Hiccup looked at each other before she reached to grab it, moving the light as well as their attention.

Hiding behind the boulder, she moved the hammer some more, causing Toothless to pounce up and trail after the moving orb. He zipped around, trying to stop the little ball of light and once he held it under his paws she moved it away, teasing him with every attempt he made to catch the light.

Gustav did the same with his helmet, catching a ray of light and leading Sharpshot in circles as he tried to follow the shiny orb on the ground.

"Wanna try, Fanghook?" he asked leading the beam near him, Fanghook content with just staring at it while he cradled the sparrow's nest.

The game lasted until there was no more light in the cove and Toothless and Sharpshot spiraled out of dizziness.

Both Vikings chuckled merrily as the last beam of light faded from sight.

…

The sky was beginning to glow bright orange as Hiccup and Gustav said farewell to their dragons, Hiccup nearly forcing Toothless to wash off the pigment from his body and Sharpshot seemingly vanishing without a trace. They collected their gear and headed back to the village, returning one of the fishing baskets to the fisherman as they made a stop by the Haddock home. Both proceeded to a bath, Hiccup in her tub and Gustav using the one in Stoick's room. After their bath, she loaned him an old pair of shorts and a shirt while she did their laundry.

While the clothing dried, she made them a mild cauliflower and eggplant curry over steamed rice, which they both had second bowls of. Once their stomachs were filled and Gustav's clothes dried, he dressed while Hiccup cleaned the dishes before he took his basket and they make their way to the forge.

"There you two are," Gobber called out as he saw his apprentices approaching the shop. "I was beginning to worry you two got carried off by dragons."

They both froze in place before giving an awkward laugh. "Ha-ha, us, with dragons? N-no way, we haven't been near any dragons, right, Gustav?" Hiccup shoved him softly with her arm.

"Yeah, totally nowhere near dragons. Just us, out in the woods, all by ourselves," he fiddled with his basket before they unfroze and went further into the forge.

"Well that's good to hear, so what do you two have planned for tonight?" he turned to both of them.

Hiccup opened her satchel and pulled out the two pieces of glass she collected from the Isle of Oasis.

Gobber's eyes flew open. "Is that what I think it is?"

"Yeah, I found it today. I have an idea on how to use it."

"That's great news, in the meantime, why don't I show you how to sharpen that sword you made earlier, Gustav?" Gobber reached out for a blade on the wall that Gustav had formed earlier that day.

He nodded eagerly as he followed Gobber to the grinding stone, leaving Hiccup to her own accord.

She stepped into her study, lit a candle and began crafting a tool she could use the glass with. The magnifying effect the glass had allowed her to see things from far distances and together with the smaller piece, it focused and made it easier to see. Taking a piece of brass, she molded it into a cone, each end the same diameter as one of the circle pieces of glass. For comfort she sewed a strip of tan leather around the cone before attaching the glass to the ends and sealing them in place with leather and fine stitch work.

She looked over the spyglass she crafted and set it to the side for a moment, trying to think up a new fin design for Toothless. Placing a blank sheet of paper in front of her, she sketched out the basic shape of the fin based off of the original design still on the table. When she got to the cable and turner she stopped, musing over what could possibly move on its own while still remaining balanced.

The gears in her head were turning, focusing as she tried to figure out what she could use, till it hit her.

_Gears_, she thought before drafting the new design onto her blueprint.

Hiccup now knew exactly how to give Toothless his flight back. She went to the metal storage room and pulled out a brass rod, bringing it to the fire pit, where she tempered the metal and cut it into manageable pieces.

"Whatcha workin' on now, Hiccup?" Gobber asked seeing her flattened several brass disk.

"Gears," she replied taking the flat brass to the fire, turning plain brass disk into precise gears that would become the new force in allowing Toothless to fly. Along with the gears, she made a special half gear that interlocked with the groves of a complete gear as well as a level system which would move the fin with direction from the organic one.

_I hope this works._

With the gears completed, she repeated the process of making the metal framework of the fin and connecting the gear lever in place before returning to her study. Taking a length of dark leather, she fabricated it onto the frame as well as the top of the gear end. Testing out the lever, she watched as the fin opened and closed smoothly and her heart filled with both happiness and sorrow.

"I did it," she whispered softly as the light from her candle finally died out.

…

Projects completed, she exited her study to show Gobber and Gustav what she created using the glass pieces.

Gobber just finished polishing the sword Gustav sharpened to a luster when Hiccup presented it to him, "Look into it, what do you see?"

He took the small end of the spyglass with his clamp prosthetic and pointed it parallel to his eye, looking out the shop window. He came into contact with Snotlout's blue eyeball, staring directly at him with its bloody veins in such detail he could have counted the lines if his stomach wasn't churning from the horrible sight.

"Well that's something I wish I didn't see." He handed the spyglass over to Gustav as he walked over to the wall to rehang the sword.

Hiccup marched over to the window where the other teens gathered with their weapons in need of repair.

Snotlout leaned into the window, closer to Hiccup with an arrogant smirk on his face. "Sup, babe, miss me?" he winked, making a clicking sound.

"Can I help you with something?" she asked in genuine confusion, her eyebrow slightly raised.

"Yeah, I need a bit of your delicate touch, if you know what I mean?"

"Uh, no, I don't know what you mean," she looked over his shoulder to the others. "Can I help the next customer?"

Snotlout reached out for her hand with his own, clasping them together. "Don't you feel it, babe? Today you looked at me with a fire in your beautiful eyes. I light the fire in your heart, don't I?" he pulled her hand to his face where he would have kissed it if not for Aarne punching him hard with his fist, knocking him cold on the ground.

Ruffnut and Tuffnut pushed forward into a line, stepping over Snotlout's prone body as they handed Hiccup their split spears.

"You look, different," said Ruffnut as she examined Hiccup from head to toe. She hadn't really seen Hiccup since she announced she wasn't going to be in dragon training anymore. Her complexion was tanned slightly and her eyes seemed to glow with some kind of passion from deep within.

Hiccup smiled warmly as she took hold of the spears. "I feel different, actually. Lately, I've been having so much fun. Actually enjoying myself with someone who totally gets me. I mean, we're from two completely different worlds but when I'm with him I just feel so…!" She hadn't realized she was letting her heart out until she finished attaching the metal tips to new staffs, seeing the looks on their faces, a mixture of both silence and utter confusion.

"Oh, so it's a guy!?" Ruffnut teased, a wide smirk on her face.

Hiccup panicked, fidgeting her arms about with the completed spears, one in each hand. "W-what!? No-no-no-no! I-I mean yes he's a 'guy' but we're just buds!" her cheeks were glowing a bright pink now.

"Really, just buds? I seriously doubt that judging by how red your face is right now," Ruffnut continued as Hiccup pushed her and her brother's weapons back to them, retrieving Fishlegs' worn hammer.

"Seriously, we're just friends, and this conversation is over," she balanced Fishlegs' hammer and fitted it with a new handle.

"Do we at least know him?" Fishlegs asked curiously, wondering who the individual who made her smile and blush so brightly.

"No, and thank the gods you nor anybody else knows who he is," she prayed cynically, returning his hammer.

"I know him," Gustav commented with a playful smile on his face with his eye over the spyglass, eager to tease Hiccup. "He's totally awesome!"

"Thank you for summing that up," Hiccup dryly stated giving him an apathetic glare.

"Here..." Aarne's tone was dark as he handed her his axe.

His sapphire eyes seemed shadowed with rage and what some would call jealousy though he would never admit to it himself. His expression matched his dark demeanor, icy like the coldest of winters and his body tensed as if ready for an attack.

Truth be told, he hadn't been himself lately. Ever since that night with those demonic eyes, he couldn't get them out of his head or how they related to Hiccup. She hadn't spoken to him since then and it sent him back to the days of silence.

The one thing that irked him with a fury was that half shell necklace around her neck she wore so proudly. He still couldn't figure out who it was that had given it to her and had managed to steal her heart from him which he felt was rightfully his to win.

He had checked his teammates for any sign of a half shell, even considering the possibility that it could probably be Gustav since for some reason or another they seemed to be hanging out more often than usual. There were even times when he suspected she was bewitched by some malevolent demon with glowing eyes, forcing her into something she had no control over.

Who else could it be? Because the gods know it wasn't him, and it was eating him up from the inside.

Hiccup took the axe with ease, her training with Toothless really paying off. She brought the axe over to the grinding stone, sharpening the dull overworked blade ends of Aarne's weapon.

"So, Gustav," chimed Ruffnut as she leaned into the window. "What's Mr. Awesome like?"

Hiccup shot Gustav a 'Please, don't encourage them look', as she finished one side of the blade.

"Sorry, but I promised Hiccup I wouldn't reveal the identity of the one she loves," Gustav looked back to Hiccup with a sly grin once she was done with the axe.

Her face was fire-red, clenching the axe close to her chest. "I-I-I… You're not helping!" she threw the axe back to Aarne who caught it easily as Hiccup raced forward to catch the little trouble maker.

"Get back here, you little Terrible Terror!" she caught him in her arms, tackling him to the ground and tickling the life out of him.

Gustav couldn't stop laughing. "No! Ha-ha-ha! Stop, it tickles!"

Just then, there was a rattling from Gustav's basket, causing both to remain still, being the only ones able to see it move about. Gustav lifted himself and proceeded to the basket as casually as he could, lifting the lid slowly then closing it rapidly. He turned over to Hiccup, pressing his lips together and motioning his eyes to the container.

Getting the message, she motioned her head to the study where he went with the basket as she got up and walked to the window, reaching out for the wooden panels. "Well, if that's all for tonight, we'll be closing shop and…"

Before she could close them, Aarne placed his arms out, stopping her from shutting them -but more so him- out. "I normally don't get what people do, but you're acting weird. You're hiding something," he coldly stated, his eyes clouded with built up negativity.

Hiccup cleared her throat before answering him. "M-me, hiding something? Th-that's ridiculous, I have nothing to hide."

"Only yourself. You've always been like that, Hiccup. You push everyone away. Why? Is it because you think you can take care of yourself? That you're as strong as everyone else? Well guess what, sweetheart, you're not! Face it, Hiccup, at the end of the day, you're just weak and alone! You don't even have the guts to be in the same room as your own people!" He let all his built up rage and fatigue onto her, saying things he'd never dream of telling her; but in his state of mind, it didn't matter.

He couldn't take them back.

Everyone remained silent, Hiccup could only stare as a single tear trickled down her now pale face.

_Is that what they all think?_ a small voice in the back of her mind told her.

That they only saw her as this frail little girl who did nothing for them? Had she only been deluding herself with happiness to cover up what a miserable excuses of a Viking she was?

_I'm not useless, am I?_

The others watched in silent shock as her tear dropped down her face. What Aarne had said was harsh. Saying something like that in the past would have been normal for them, but not him, he never stooped to their level. What made it seem worse was that for the first time in forever, she looked happy. Now her smile was gone again.

Hiccup took her trembling hands off the window panels and stepped away, her eyes covered by her bangs but if they could see them, they'd see into lifeless green eyes. She didn't say a word as she walked away from the window and towards the private study, Gobber making his way to the window.

"What in Valhalla happened here?" he hadn't heard anything said as he was in the back of the shop but the look on everyone's expression said something big went down.

Aarne's mind was finally catching up with what he had done. He hurt her, not just physically, now he hurt her emotionally as well.

_What have I done?_ He stormed off, his heart and mind in shatters over the monster he was turning into.

…

"Hiccup, you know Aarne didn't mean that. He's just a little worked up over training and stuff," while Tuffnut usually wasn't one to defend, he knew Aarne just wanted her to know she had people she could rely on, not just herself.

Her eyes still masked by shadows, she wrapped her arms around herself for protection, her voice soft and shaking. "I know. I'm sorry," she pulled the curtain to her study and disappeared before their eyes.

When she entered her study, Gustav had lit another candle, trying to keep the lid to the basket closed as it rattled up and down. She calmed herself as she slowly took hold of Gustav's hands and lifted the lid open.

Standing on his hind legs, Sharpshot looked up to them curiously. At the cove, he had decided to take a nap inside one of the cozy fish-smelling baskets they had, only waking up when he heard their laughter, and thinking it was playtime tried to get out and join the fun. When they finally let him out, he was in a strange room but was just happy to see them.

"Sharpshot? He must have been in the basket before we left the cove," Hiccup cleared her face, petting his scaly muzzle. "Sorry, pal, but you can't come out yet, we have to take you back to the forest."

As she was speaking to him, Gustav looked over the drawings of her walls. Before she designed weapons, she used to decorate her study with pictures of birds and flowers. There was even a Troll map where she crossed off places where she had thought she had spotted one. On her bookshelves were books of various subjects ranging from Greek philosophy and law to scrolls on mathematics and science. On one shelf, she held all her leather materials and sewing tools along with miniature models of some of her earliest inventions and another shelf solely dedicated to sketchbooks and woven baskets of loose odds and ends. The work table she used was neatly organized with containers of paint brushes and leather cutting knives.

Seated at the center of the work bench was a black fin. He stared at it intensely, hoping one day to gain the same level of craftsmanship skills she possessed. "Is this Toothless' new fin?"

Hiccup turned over and walked up him. "Yeah. Toothless still can't fly without me, and that's not fair. So, hopefully with this, he'll be able to leave tonight."

"Tonight?" Gustav looked at her nervously. "That means, I'd have to say goodbye to Fanghook and Sharpshot?"

Her heart sank, she knew the cost for returning Toothless his flight meant his freedom, it also meant an end for Gustav's friendship with his own dragons since she promised they'd be together till she fixed his fin. Even though she knew it was important to keep her promise to Toothless, she also didn't want to see Gustav sad.

It was a difficult decision.

"I'll tell you what, I'll hold off on giving him his new fin for as long as I can, just until the rest of the villagers get back from the voyage. Deal?"

His frown grew to a satisfied smile. "Deal."

"Alright then, now to get you back to the woods," she turned over to Sharpshot who hid into his basket, not ready to leave yet.

"Let him stay Hiccup, just for the night. Think of it as a sleepover, please," Gustav walked over to shield his little friend.

"_Please,_" Sharpshot quietly hissed climbing up Gustav's vest and onto his helmet.

She sighed. "Fine, but stay in here, we can't let the others see you here, Sharpshot. In the meantime, I'm gonna…go to the cove for a while," her demeanor changed to a more sullen one. "I've got a few things on my mind, I'll be back soon."

Gustav and Sharpshot looked at each other, Sharpshot leaning over to see him from the helmet. "Okay, we'll be here for the night waiting for you. This is so exciting, I've never been to a sleepover before," he hopped joyfully, knowing tonight was going to be the best night ever.

…

Toothless was still awake when he spotted Hiccup enter the cove. She usually didn't come this late at night, but didn't really mind, he enjoyed her company. He walked up to her and trailed his head under her hand, which she then caressed over his face.

"Hey there, bud. Just need to clear my mind," she walked over to a boulder and sat on it, Toothless right beside her.

_You know what helps me clear my mind?_ He leaned forward, presenting himself in a starting position.

Hiccup stared and gave him an understanding smile as she lifted herself and mounted his saddle. They both left, leaving a sleeping Fanghook and his little sparrow chick peacefully in the cove.

…

Under the cover of the night sky, Toothless and Hiccup flew around the Island of Berk, knowing they'd go unspotted. They flew past the beach where they swam its waters and ate on its shores, past the sea stacks where they both flew over and under, even beyond the strip of cliff side where they watched their first sunset together. Turning further over the island, they drew near the village, illuminated by the lights of the watch post and from the fires inside the villagers' houses. From here, the village looked so enchanting.

She leaned down onto his back, looking out to the village below. "That's where I made your fin," she pointed out the forge for him. "And that's the spot where I shot you down," her voice shook a bit after saying that. She pointed over to a house close to the forest line, atop a hill overlooking the entire town. "That's where I live with my dad, he's the chief."

Toothless was slightly taken aback by this revelation. He not only befriended a Viking, but the daughter of the chieftain.

"I know one day I'm gonna have to take his place, but how can I possibly compare to him when I couldn't even kill a dragon? I can barely hold a conversation with the other teens my age without doubting myself or feeling like less of a... of a Viking"

He felt sad for her, not out of pity, but from knowing she was more than what she thought herself to be. When he looked at her, he saw a kind, beautiful and intelligent person who went against what she was taught to believe and thought was right.

She changed his world forever.

He wanted to tell her she was an amazing individual with incredible talents and a heart and soul that brought creatures together. That the more time he spent with her, the harder it was for him to get her out of his mind. To tell her he…

There was a cold shiver that ran down his spine as the all too familiar call of his lord echoed inside his eardrums.

_No, not now,_ he prayed in thought but it was too late. He was captivated by the siren's call he was raised to obey.

He swooped downward with little warning to her as she gripped onto the railing tightly. They flew further out to sea, a mysterious low blanket of fog covering her line of sight. "Toothless, what's happening?" she felt something in the pressure of the fog and she didn't like it.

"Whoa! What is it?" she asked as they pressed further into the deep murkiness. The sound of wild called surrounding her as she looked around to find the faint hints of dragons all around her. A full-grown Monstrous Nightmare peeled by them, unaware of her presence, carrying a large fish in his claws. Soon she could see other dragons from Deadly Nadders to Hideous Zipplebacks with similar fish in their grasp, even the occasional sheep and boar in the mist.

Hiccup pressed herself closer to Toothless, trying to become invisible in the growing cluster of wild dragons with their numbers only seeming to get larger. She was quickly becoming afraid.

"Toothless, you gotta get us out of here, bud," she whispering into his ear.

"_I can't. I'm sorry,_" he growled back loud enough for her to know she needed to stay calm and quiet but not enough for the other to realize he was there.

They continued into the mist until the dragons all began to dive downward onto sea pillars, weaving under them and turning from side to side to avoid colliding into them. She kept silent, letting Toothless guide the way into the darkness.

As they ducked the various sea stacks, she could see the faint light from flowing fire off the side of a mountain, the only sign to her of land. Following it up to the top with her eyes, she realized it was not a mountain, but a giant volcanic island with sturdy stone covering around it. It gave off a menacing and malevolent aura under the fog and night sky.

She wasn't too sure where Toothless was taking her, but she wished he wasn't.

…

Further they flew towards the volcano, heading straight for the very walls of it till she saw there was a great gap, allowing them to enter into the dark tunnels of stone and hanging pillars. Toothless maneuvered his body from right to left, a bright red glow leading them into the belly of the fire pit.

The cavern burned hot from the thick, sticky lava below the various columns where small colonies of dragons roasted after dumping their haul into its steaming fires and into the mouth of their master. Toothless scoped the perimeter, hoping to find a dark spot where he and Hiccup could go unnoticed by the prince.

"What my dad wouldn't give to find this?" Hiccup silently said watching as all the dead and alive animals were tossed down into the fiery hole of the volcanos base. "Well it's satisfying to know that all own food has been dumped down a hole."

Under the cover of the shadows, Toothless circled the cavern unspotted, finding a narrow opening between the wall and a tall column of stone for them to take refuge. He landed hushly, prowling into the darkness, more so for Hiccup's safety than his own.

This was the one dragon he didn't want her to know about.

_They're not eating any of it_, she thought as the final dragon appeared from the opening, a mid-sized Gronckle lazily weaving from side to side before making it to the center of the cavern. He opened his mouth and let a single fish slide down his tongue and into the pit below, laxly scratching the back of his ear before a horrifying bellow from below brought every soul inside the hive into a silent panic.

"_No, my liege, PLEASE!" _he pleaded before the massive head of the Red Death swooped up, catching the Gronckle by the leg. There was a piercing cry as blood from the Gronckle's leg seeped from between the sword like teeth of his devourer. Red Death allowed the blood to slowly drip down into his mouth and when satisfied, took another bite out of the pitiful Gronckle lodged in his jaws. Opening his mouth, he let the body slide further in before taking another stronger bite onto the still living and screaming dragon.

Hiccup could only watch in horror as the Gronckle tried desperately to pry himself loose, only ripping into his flesh more as it tore from the eaten half. His midsection freed with half his body eaten, he crawled over the fangs of the cannibal below him, faint cries calling out for mercy from his blood drenched mouth as his guts trailed behind him.

With this game quickly becoming a bore to Red Death, he opened his jaws fully, the Gronckle holding onto one of his fangs to prevent himself for further being eaten alive and with a fast snap, he closed his jaws tightly. The still audible screams of the Gronckle could clearly be heard as he fell down the monster's throat and belly, leaving only three little claws exposed on the outside of his teeth.

Hiccup felt the need to vomit from the sight of immense torture the innocent dragon had to go though. She now understood why they raided. It wasn't to feed themselves, but a tyrant-like overload who used them like slaves and if their performance was below par, they'd be eaten themselves.

This was what Toothless did for his ruler, this is what they all did, and she prayed to the gods she wasn't next in line to be consumed.


	19. Chapter 19

_Hello again. This chapter marks an epic battle, the loss of a life but the gain of something worth more. Next chapter to be posted in 4-5 days. This chapter posted 6-19-2014. Thank you so much for the amazing reviews and I hope you enjoy. Thank you for your time._

Silence.

For the longest time, there was silence within the walls of the hive. The only sound produced moments later was the satisfied grumbling hums of the Red Death as he lowered his head back into the fiery smoke.

An acidy sensation crept its way up Hiccup's throat as the smell of cold blood coated the air from the horrendous murder witnessed by all in the volcano. She couldn't believe any creature could be so cruel, so merciless.

This dragon was a true demon.

She wasn't sure how to react. Her heart told her to scream out of fear while her mind said she needed for keep still like stone. She hadn't realized her hands were shaking vigorously as if she had left them in icy water and her breathing had stopped from pure shock.

If she had to describe the horrid mixtures of emotions, smells, sounds and sights she was forced to endure in one word, it would be traumatizing. No creature, be it of the greatest good or unholiest of evils should have to go through the same tragic fate that Gronckle had gone through.

She and Toothless needed for get out of there, immediately.

…

As his body was returning to the same comfortable position he was accustomed to, a new sensation crossed the path of his nostrils as he breathed in and savored the aroma of herbal delight. It was a delicate scent, a bouquet of fresh sweet grass and soil, with a soft hint of sunshine in the undertone.

He had to have it.

Rising again from his abysm he could pick up the scent of another, something far more familiar. The spice of jet lignite, celestial light and the faintest odor of southern wind; this smell could only belong to one being.

"_Night Fury,"_ he hummed deeply, the vibrations from his voice bringing sharp shivers to Toothless' spine. "_There you are. There really is no need to hide from me. I can hear your breath."_ He snaked his massive head around the hive, listening for the frustrated breaths of the Night Fury he was familiar with.

"_I can smell your scales,"_ his nostrils following the whispers of fragrance that encircled the air, the sweet and cosmic notes mixing together.

Whatever his Night Fury had, he craved.

Sensing their time was running short, Hiccup leaned down to Toothless' ear and faintly whispered in a trembling and frightened tone, "Alright, bud, we gotta get outta here."

She might as well have yelled it out to the heavens, for the Red Death caught the sound of a small and fragile voice. Turning towards the voice, he could vaguely see his Night Fury hiding in the darkness, but it was the creature atop him that captured his attention.

She looked delicious.

"_I can smell __**Her**__,"_ a dark chuckle under his breath. "_I'm rather disheartened you stayed away for so long. How kind of you to bring me a sweet treat!_"

Toothless lunged forward and quickly took to the air before the sharp and precise fangs of Red Death could snap at Hiccup's body. It took a moment for her to realize what nearly happened, still too shaken up by the dragons enormous presence.

It was only when Red Death felt nothing but the fragrant air between his teeth did he come to terms that his prized soldier had denied him what he wanted. This, tipped the scale of his rage and with a tremendous outburst, shook the very earth itself.

"_NIGHT FURY!_"

The earth trembling roar vibrated the columns, causing a massive uprising in the hive as thousands of life-threatened dragons took to the air and towards the narrow exit of the volcano. The horde spiraled into chaos as dragons tried to forcefully push one another aside to make it out of the raging monster's way, leaving the young to fend for themselves in the dark cavern to possibly die.

Toothless followed the traffic upward, the path from which they came too far off to dare an exit. He maneuvered from left to right, desperately trying to find an opening in the cluster of panicked reptiles before Red Death managed to lift his overgrown body upward.

During the riot to leave the nest, a Monstrous Nightmare's wing collided with Hiccup's body. The force of the wing to her chest caused her to lose her grasp on the rails and unhooking the hook which kept her attached to Toothless. With the support gone, Hiccup flung her arms out, trying to grab the railings. Unable to reach for them, she began to fall, her screams echoed in the cave as her body sank away from her friend.

…

Amidst the loud cries of dragons and flapping of wings, Red Death managed to capture a Zippleback in his teeth as he lunged up to capture the human from the Night Fury. He dragged the helpless Zippleback down as he gave quick, bone crackling bites to the two-headed dragon, enough to shatter every bone in their body but enough to keep them alive to experience it. He loved playing with his meal before eating it, it made the thrill of being in charge all the more pleasurable. No one to stop him or challenge his authority.

He felt like a king, but oh how he knew he'd never be one.

Not yet at least.

As he slurped the mashed Zippleback down his esophagus, the piercing scream of something foreign came from the sky. Looking up, he witnessed the human girl, falling into his path and with a satisfied grin, opened his massive jaws, ready to shallow her whole.

…

Toothless hadn't noticed she was gone till her cries alerted him. He flapped his wings harder, trying to stay afloat as he looked back to her descending form.

"_HICCUP!"_ Not thinking twice, he turned his body down to her. She looked merely meters away from the fowl jaws of Red Death as he sped towards her. He feared the worst.

If he hadn't have offered to go for a midnight flight, this would have never happened.

_It's all my fault._

His wings seemed to beat at slow motion as the world around him nearly paused.

_It's all my fault._

He could see the sheer terror in her face as she desperately reached out for him.

_It's all my fault._

Her body was so close to the Red Death that he'd never make it to her on time. It would take a miracle to rescue her.

With the Red Death ready to lock his toothy cage shut, the Gronckle who had befriended the innocent Viking girl, stroked his massive wings and at speeds he never thought he could reach before, swooped in a straight line adjacent to Red Death's jaws and scooped Hiccup's small body into his paws. He hardly collided with the stone wall, managing to cradle Hiccup softly unharmed as Red Death's mouth shut to nothing for the second time.

Managing to lean his body to a column, Toothless called out to his only friends in his aid. "_GRONCKLE!_"

"_She's safe!" _he called out, laying Hiccup into the cave where the young dragons laid. _"I'll distract him! You two need to get out of here, NOW!" _With that said, he flew towards his czar and with sharp claws, scratched at the eyes on his left side.

"_AAAAHHHH!_" Red Death shook his head vigorously, trying to shake off the Gronckle. "_HOW DARE YOU, YOU USELESS REPTILE! YOU DARE TRY MY PATIENCE, YOU TREASONOUS PEASENT!_"

"_My loyalty is to the Night Fury and his rider! I will not be afraid of you anymore!"_ the Gronckle rose in flight and ignited the boiling lava in his gut, firing hard and heavy blows to the beast while Toothless clawed his way down the pillars towards Hiccup, praying she was alright.

…

Hiccup witnessed as the Gronckle was single-handedly warding off the giant of a dragon. It was when she felt something run past her leg that she turned from the action inside the volcano, and from the vague light that entered the cavern, she could see a massive horde of young dragons cowering in fear.

She had never seen baby dragons before. They looked so small and defenseless. She knew that if left here, they'd surely die under the rumbling battle within the mountain.

She felt a firm push to her back, turning over to see Toothless.

"Toothless," she tightly wrapped her arms around his neck before extending them out. "We gotta go."

He positioned himself for her to climb on, but she refused to.

"We can't leave them here," she pointed out to the babies.

"_Hiccup, we don't have time for this. We need to get out of here!"_ he yanked on her vest but she pushed his head aside and stayed her ground.

"We have to help them."

While Toothless admired her devotion to help and defend he really wished she didn't spring out this need right then and there. He let out a frustrated roar. He nearly lost her and she refused to go on account of young dragons. He released another bellowing from the pit of his stomach and there was an odd echoing vibration to it. He could see the cavern. Not with his eyes, but with his ears. He could sense every corner, every turn and from one small alley way, he could sense air.

There was an exit.

Toothless lowered his head to Hiccup's legs, wedging them open and sliding her back onto the saddle before giving out another call, following the path to the exit with his ears. If she wanted to at least try and save these young ones, he'd do his best to help her out.

"You know a way out?" Hiccup asked, looking over the saddle to him as he gave her a reassuring nod. Satisfied, she turned her attention to the young dragons. "Come on, follow us!"

She pointed forward.

"_Stay close!"_ Toothless called out as he ran towards the exit.

The baby dragons, while frightened would rather follow the Night Fury and his sweet-smelling friend than stay there with an angry prince.

Quickly they all ran into the darkness, Toothless leading the way and Hiccup's scent as a guide to the young ones. After turning several corners and pathways, they could feel the cold night air and see the dark starry skies on the opposite end of the tunnel.

Faster they all ran, till the ground below them became to tremble and crack. From within the mountain, the vengeful hauler of the Red Death was causing the cave to collapse upon itself. With the faint light from the moonlight outside entering the tunnel, Hiccup and Toothless turned over to see the rumble from the ceiling falling from the roof as it quickly led its path towards them and the cluster of babies.

"RUN!" Hiccup commanded and both Toothless and the flock of dragons sped their pace out to the night air. Hiccup and Toothless were the first to exit, Hiccup jumping off of him and pointing the way out for the young ones to follow suit.

From the furthest part of the tunnel the smallest youngster, a violet Nadder, struggled to keep up. When he felt he was making progress with catching up with the others, a boulder from above fell and trapped his small wing, stopping him in his tracks as he cried out in pain.

Hearing the sound of the Nadder, Hiccup looked into the cave and saw the baby Nadder trapped. They were all so close to being free, she couldn't possibly leave one behind. Not taking a second to think it over, she stormed back into the darkness, racing against the clock as the walls and ceiling were quickly falling down.

"_HICCUP!" _Toothless shouted into the tunnel seeing her half way in.

She dodged falling stones and dirt as she reached the little Nadder, who cowered lowly to her presence, not too sure what she'd do to him. Quickly examining the boulder, Hiccup grabbed either side of it and with all her might, lifted the stone up enough for the Nadder to release his injured wing. The rumble closing in on them, Hiccup scooped up the little Nadder and bolted back to the exit. She could feel the air behind her becoming heavier and more treacherous, mere feet away from the falling daubery. As they made it toward the exit, Hiccup leaped out as far as she could, making it out as the tunnel closed in and sealing itself shut. She rolled several times on the cool black pebble beach, the Nadder safely held in her arms.

She had hoped that would be the end of it, but she was terribly mistaken.

…

"_ENOUGH!" _Red Death yelled out at such volume the entire island seemed to quake. The columns and ledges began to break apart from the body of the volcano and into the burning lava below, crowding the space of the prince.

Feeling he had done his part and given the Viking and the Night Fury the time to escape, he maneuvered around the collapsing ceiling towards the exit off the side of the mountain.

The Red Death was now burning with bitterness and wrath. The Night Fury: his commanding officer, most devoted follower and slave, had betrayed, even managed to convert another from him. And all for what, for a delicious little pet?

No, this was his castle. This was his horde. And as far as anyone was concerned, whatever the Night Fury had, belonged to him.

Through his outrage, he began slamming his head onto the walls of the volcano, crumbling the stone and his claws scrapped deeply into it. He brought his massive clawed paws forward and began pushing out at the side of the mountain. Again and again he cracked at the strong fortress, till he could feel the faint gust of air coming from the tiny openings in the wall. With his thick skull, he forced open the womb of the mountain and emerged from the large rumble of stone and volcanic ash like a god. He led his entire body out of the hollow volcano, and while he had never left the sanctity of his home, his muscles were tough and hard. His first step onto the pebbled beach sank him into it like a heavy weight on thin paper. He looked up with the eyes on his right side which were not crawled at to see the massive horde of dragons encircling the air above near the spout of the volcano.

They were all frightened and tremendously wanted to leave and never return, but where could they turn to? Most, if not all of the dragons were born inside of the volcano. They were introduced to this world by the haunting trumpet of the Red Death and their lives were surely ended by the same if they were unlucky enough to not be killed in battle for his personal sport. Yes, even dragons had their own version of bloody gladiator sport, with them as the warriors and Red Death as the emperor who watched in great delight at the sight of gore and violence. It was the only place they knew as home, as prison and as their grave.

The mothers of the young ones wailed into the night sky, knowing that their babies were crushed under the mountains mighty wall before one male Nadder cried out, "_Look!_"

All the flock turned their attention away from Red Death and toward the cluster of youngsters safely on the beach with the Night Fury. They watched as the young girl emerged from the collapsing cave, a small Nadder cradled in her arms. Their expression was a combination of joy and utter astonishment. They saved the next generation of dragons from the chaos caused by the Red Death's anger. The mothers rejoiced, thanking the heavens above that their children were alive while the rest of the colony gave a silent nod of thanks to the Night Fury, even to the girl who risked her life for one.

…

Both the Red Death and the flock of young dragons were on the same stretch of beach, separated by three miles of black pebbles but distance didn't matter to Red Death as his right eyes caught sight of the Night Fury and the small female.

This was their fault.

He let out a bloody churning roar towards them. They slowly turned their body towards the sound coming face to face with the monster himself, towering high with his enormous shaped. With the moonlight shining down onto his form, he looked far more demonic and hideous than anything that dared to walk on the face of the earth. His eyes glowed red with fury as they focused onto the two problematic creatures beneath him in both height and caste.

He took a large gulp of air into his oversized lungs and once they were filled to the brim, he converted it to deadly gas and fire as it burned the beach floor creating a huge wall of thick blob-like flames.

Hiccup and Toothless could feel the immense heat blanketing down to them from the gust of wind pushing the smothering flames towards them. It was becoming difficult to breathe as the air around them was being eaten up.

Hiccup lowered the Nadder to the ground and gave a deep-set cough as ash entered her lungs. "GET OUT OF HERE!" she managed to cry out to the young dragons, who listened to her words as she pointed them to go in the opposite direction of the flames. They ran as fast as they could past the mountain and towards the thick brush of forest once the beach line ended.

Toothless held his ground as he glared at the Red Death. He knew he could never take on such a massive giant alone, but wouldn't risk putting Hiccup into this dangerous fight. This wasn't her battle, it was his. He raced towards the flames, jumping into the air as he desperately tried to fly up and challenge his oppressor but couldn't stay up for too long. On one attempt he felt Hiccup's hand take hold of the rail as she tried to mount onto him. Toothless pushed her aside, not wanting her involved in this.

"You can't do this alone, bud!" she lunged towards him and held onto the rails tightly so when he pushed her a second time she'd stay by his side. "I'm here for you. We're a team."

He looked into her green eyes as the fire from the wall shined into them making them appear amber and bright. Her face and clothing were covered in soot and dirt with her expression stoic and firm. She wasn't leaving his side and he knew it. She'd go into battle for him like he would do the same for her. Knowing he couldn't change her stubborn ways, he held still as she mounted onto his saddle and despite there being no hook to secure her in place, she never felt safer in her whole life than on to back of her friend and teammate.

…

They shot into the air like a missile, with ever beat of Toothless' wings they soared higher into the night sky.

The crowd of dragons saw their display and watched in amazement as they looped back down toward the czar himself. The familiar siren of the Night Fury covered the air as it increased in pitch with every inch they lunged to the Red Death. With a precise and massive blow, the Night Fury shot out a rocket of blue intense pulse-like fire onto the tyrant's jaw, the force pushing him back as if he had been punched by a meteor.

Red Death had to admit, it stung.

Hiccup and Toothless looped back around under the monster's chin and spiraled into the heavens once more. With her knuckles bruising white, she managed to look down on the massive beast on the beach. "That thing has wings. Okay, let's see if it can use them!" She pulled on the railings and Toothless stopped on a dime and flipped around back towards the still shocked dragon. With another massive hit, this time to the back winged area, the pressure sent the Red Death to his side.

He let out an agonizing bellow from the pain, quite possible the most he'd ever felt in his life. He had never felt so humiliated. He was the prince, the ruler and he was not going to let a Night Fury and his pet get the better of him in front of his subject. He was going to prove why he was in charge, once and for all.

He spread his massive wings, small holes forming on the bottom from lack of use. This was his first time spreading his wings and the size of them matched that of a whale. With a heavy stroke he unleashed them and his maiden flight began.

"You think that did it?" Hiccup asked as she looked over behind her, the Red Death disappearing from her sight.

Then from under Toothless, the Red Death rose to her sights, his massive fangs and piercing eyes aiming for her and the Night Fury.

"Well he can fly," she stated, although she wasn't too thrilled by the revelation once he was closing the gap between them.

Red Death drew closer, ready to snap and destroy the horrible little wretch who ruined his perfect little bubble of an existence.

Toothless could feel the heavy disgusting breath of the beast on his fin but it was then that a hot heat blast came from the sky above, hitting the dragon on his massive fangs. He looked up to see not only the Gronckle but a few other dragons as well as they blasted onto their warden. If it was any other dragon who chose to attack the Red Death, they would have let them die, but this was the Night Fury. He defended them when they needed it and protected their young when hope for them seemed lost. It was also for the aid of the small girl because despite her being an enemy they were taught to despise, they couldn't do that now seeing her defend against the monster.

Red Death was not pleased with this turn of events. If they should be aiding anyone, it should be him and not the treasonous Night Fury and his witch. "_ENOUGH OF THIS, YOU WORTHLESS LIZARDS!" _he howled as he set more flames from out of his mouth and into the surrounding air, creating a heavy gate of fire blocking the other dragons from his targets.

With the wall created, Toothless and Hiccup flew through the tall sea stacks, dodging them with minimal effort and pin-point precision with the Red Death forcing the stacks to crumbles as he followed their trail. From behind them he could see the odd discoloration of one of the fins on his tail. He gave a deep and deranged laugh at the sight. He now knew why the Night Fury hadn't returned, for it must be a terrible shame to have to rely on a pathetic little runt to aid in flight.

Hiccup looked behind her as the Red Death was hot on their trail and looked back to the starry and dark clouds to relieve her of her fears. She gazed into the thick clouds and back to the Red Death, whose eyes were torn at and weren't his primary and strongest sense.

"Okay, Toothless, time to disappear!" she said as she switched the angle of the foot pedal and fin with a click. "Come on, bud!"

Toothless understood and exited the foggy sea stack field and rose to the heavens like a jet. Red Death followed suit as he lifted his wings and body up on pursuit. He breathed in another vat of air, turning it into an ill green gas.

"Here it comes!" Hiccup shouted as she pushed Toothless' rails, motioning him out of the line of whipping fire from the Red Death

The other dragons watched from below as the Night Fury and his rider climbed higher into the ominous black cloud, practically disappearing as the Red Death speedily followed.

…

Inside the clouds, they vanished. Red Death sniffed the air to find them, their scents mixing around in the air vapor making it seem they were all around and he could hardly hear them with the winds whistling in his eardrums. He began to speak.

"_How humiliating. To have to be less of a dragon, Night Fury. But that doesn't change the fact that you're one of a kind. I'll make you a deal…"_ he circled around, trying to locate the two. "_I'll allow you to live if you stand down and return to me. I'll even let you keep your little concubine; whatever's left of her when I'm finished with her."_ at his last words he chortled insanely.

Hearing those words struck Toothless and he zipped through the clouds in a fury before releasing a powerful blast onto the prince's wing, who cried out in pain. He whipped by him unseen, the cloak of night and dark zephyrs camouflaging his scales.

Red Death looked around in the darkness angry, hostile and ready to kill the both of them now.

From above, Toothless gave another shot to the massive wings of the beast, hoping to rip them apart from his body like he had done to all of his enslaved dragons. Over and over again he fired, aiming at the wings and while they were new to flight were exceptionally strong and held up to the explosive blows from his plasma blasts.

From the earth, the baby dragons and the adults could see the balls of blue light from the clouds, silhouetting the massive form of the Red Death as he flapped his wings in the air. It looked as though a cluster of ball lighting was striking the demon alone.

"_YOU HORRIBLE REBELLIOUS BRAT, NOW YOU'LL BOTH DIE! I'LL ENJOY EATING HER SLOWLY AS YOU WATCH!"_ he released a thick spray of fire into the air, the moisture from the clouds sizzling and creating a heavy mist of fog and flames.

The additional fog made it difficult to see and from behind Toothless and Hiccup a whip of flames came their way.

"WATCH OUT!" she called out as the flames slapped at Toothless' tail, the fin catching fire as it slowly began to burn away.

Seeing as the metal bones were beginning to reveal themselves, Hiccup could felt their imminent doom set in.

"Okay, time's up."

She caught sight of the Red Death, spotting them from the light of the flames as well as from the sound of her voice. The flames from his jaws brought back the memory of Sharpshot and how his body bloated and expanded from the inside. If they timed it right, they could do the same to him.

"Aim for his mouth when he's about to ignite! Let's see if this works," she said to Toothless, not wanting to panic him that his fin was disappearing but that they had everything under control.

He looped around and dove down at fast speeds, Hiccup could feel the numbing pressure on her balled fist as they drew closer to the giant. She stared straight at his injured eyes and shouted out to get him attention.

"COME ON, IS THAT THE BEST YOU CAN DO?!"

Hearing the human taunt him was the final straw as he turned his good eyes towards them, pure rage and blood crazed madness in them. He tried to snap at them as they passed but missed pathetically as the Night Fury was far too fast.

They flew straight down to earth, away from the clouds and back into barely visible sight with the Red Death training their every move. He reached out his neck and pushed his wings harder in order to catch up to the smaller dragon. He began drawing in more air, refilling his lungs so he could burn the two devils and send them straight into the pits of hell.

Hiccup wriggled the lever to the fin with no results as the final pieces of leather wilted away. Toothless began to get anxiety as he realized they were falling blind.

"Stay with me, buddy, we're good. Just a little bit longer," she said trying to calm his nerves as well as hers as they plummeted towards the earth.

Red Death narrowed his eyes as the last once of air filled his lungs. _"Say goodbye, Night Fury."_

"Hold, Toothless," she whispered.

As the audible hiss of gas came into earshot she pulled the rails back and Toothless flipped around. "NOW!"

"_By the way!" _Toothless yelled out to his former leader. "_My name is TOOTHLESS!" _at his final word he sent out a shot of blue flame straight into the cavity of the Red Death.

The beast closed his jaws as he felt the fire enter into his throat. The flame grew as it caught the gas within his esophagus, filling his jaws with a ball of uncontrollable fire, burning him from the inside. He urgently tried to extinguish the flame with his breath but the more breath he let out the more the fire grew from the gas in his lungs. As the final stretch of black fog and clouds left his sight, he realized it was a trap. His eyes widened as he spread his wings to full capacity, but his internal heat along with the extreme speed caused the small holes to rip open, tearing at his massive dark teal wings.

He let out an agonizing cry as his internal organs burned and the nerve endings of his wings sending massive signals of pain to his brain.

He couldn't stop the blaze within his guts.

He couldn't stop himself from falling head first onto the pebble beach.

But what meant the most above the excruciating pain was that he couldn't stop the Night Fury and the girl riding him.

His life flashed before his eyes as the sight of black stone became the final image of his existence before he burst into an explosive flame and ceased to live.

…

Hiccup and Toothless couldn't stop either but with all his might and perhaps with assistance from the gods, Toothless cut his wings thought the air quickly as the trails of burning fire raced after them as they made their way up the Red Death's back. He turned over the large spines on the monster's body as the explosive sounds of heat and the rotting smell of burning dragon laced the air.

Trying to move the fin once more, Hiccup pressed down on the pedal only to have it burn away and fall into the flames below.

Looking back up, she could see the massive mace-like tail of the Red Death as it headed into Toothless' path of flight.

"No, NO! TOOTHLESS!" she pushed his head away from the blunt tail as it fell towards them, evading his head but in the process it had Hiccup release her hands from the rails and struck her down.

All he felt was her soft hands pushing his head away and when he turned back, she was falling into the flames, motionless.

"_Hiccup,_" he reached out for her, unable to catch her. He streamed his body downward to her falling form. The flames silhouetting her with her arms out towards him as the flames grew. _No, Hiccup._

He raced, beating his wings harder than he ever did in his life, following her into the fires of hell.

…

When the fire was gone and the smoke began to clear up, the dragons lowered themselves to the pebbled beach.

All as quiet.

Several Monstrous Nightmares and Nadders fanned the smoke away with their wings, trying to find any traces of life in the rubble.

The Gronckle sniffed around and with a few strong whiffs was able to locate the two of them. He ran over the fallen chunks of mountain and layers of soot to the motionless form of the Night Fury. His wings were wrapped around himself, the leather saddle on his back torn and darkened with scorch marks and the remaining pieces of the fin were twisted like metal vines.

He was still breathing.

The crowd of dragons followed the Gronckle's trail and what they saw, they were saddened to see.

Toothless slowly opened his eyes to the image of the Gronckle standing over him. His eyes became feral as he gave an aggressive snarl pulling his wings tighter around him.

"_It's alright. We're not going to hurt you," _the Gronckle calmly told him.

After the adrenaline of combat left his system, Toothless relaxed himself enough to take steady breaths.

"_Where is she?"_ the Gronckle asked, looking around for any sign of her.

Slowly, Toothless unraveled his wings and held in his embrace was the tiny girl, covered in dark ash and cuts, her breathing was so faint it as barely a whisper.

Toothless leaned towards her, nuzzling her hair for her to wake up but she remained motionless.

"_You have to wake up, Hiccup. Don't leave me, I need you. Please, you can't go away,_" if a dragon could cry, his eyes would be laced with tears. She saved him. Pushed him out of the way so he could live and this is what she got in return.

It hurt his heart so much.

"_Wake up. We're a team, remember… I…"_ he stopped when she gave a quiet moan and slowly opened her eyes.

Her body felt so numb. She could barely move herself up.

"Toothless," she softly called out.

"_Yeah, I'm right here,"_ his heart jumped knowing she was alive.

She was so weak and tired, she couldn't carry another word and closed her eyes once more.

"_She's alive, but barely,"_ the Boneknapper came forward towards them. He looked down to her legs. One, the left one, was burned quite badly, the bone nearly exposed to the air. Examining it further, he could tell that the bones in her foot and from the lower part of her leg below the knee were shattered beyond repair.

She would never walk again.

"_I need to get her back to her home, she'll die here,"_ Toothless tried to lift himself up, but he was too tired to do so.

"_Don't worry, we'll help you,_" the Gronckle said as he motioned to several dragons who flew off into the mist.

Soon the baby dragons returned to their mothers, safe and happy they were alive and dare they say it, free. The smallest, the Nadder Hiccup had saved, slowly walked up to her and the Night Fury, sniffing her body and lightly pushing her head to made sure she was alive.

"_Will she live?_" he asked as his mother walked to his side.

"_I hope so, child. She's giving us the greatest treasure,_" she bowed to her sleeping form, thankful this small human saved the life of her own.

The other dragons returned from the fog with a long white sail from one of the destroyed Viking ships, a dragon at each corner. They maneuvered over Toothless and placed the fabric to the stone beach near his head and carefully dragged it under him and the girl in his arms, creating a nest for them to take them back to her shores. They dropped the corners down and waited for something, they were so used to being told what to do.

The Gronckle took the two front ends and held them tightly in his paws. "_I'm going to need a volunteer to help me get them there._"

Many wanted to help, but it was decided the Boneknapper was to help, him being three in command but with the Red Death gone, command didn't really seem to matter.

Taking the fabric closest to the Night Fury's head, both dragons carefully lifted the sail, hovering for a while before setting off into the midnight waters towards the home of the brave little Viking girl who changed their world forever.

What amazed them the most was it took her nine minutes to do something they all couldn't in three hundred years.


	20. Chapter 20

_Hello again. This chapter was a bit tricky to write, but hopefully I did well. There is a single spoiler in this chapter portraying to the second movie, it's only a small detail, hope this does not spoil the experience for anyone who hasn't seen the film. Posting this chapter 6-23-2014. Next chapter to be posted in 4-5 days. Thank you for your time and patience. Please enjoy._

...

Veiled by the darkness of the midnight sky, the Gronckle and the Boneknapper swiftly but delicately cradled Toothless who in turn guarded Hiccup's sleeping form. Her breathing was so soft and her heartbeat was but a shadow. He never let his eyes off of her. She seemed so small wrapped in his arms, he had never recognized it until now just how light she was. It was difficult to believe she managed to survive the crash.

They held low, meters away from the tranquil sea waters as to not be spotted by any Vikings as they approached the Isle of Berk, as any attacks of them would surely result in their injury or worse for the girl.

"_Where should we land? We can't get too close but we can't just leave her out in the open till somebody manages to find her,"_ the Gronckle spoke up as he viewed the bright red torches of the stone statues of Vikings and the lights from the village drawing closer.

Toothless thought back to when Hiccup introduced the village to her in the sky.

"_We'll try her house first, her father may be there. He's the chief."_

"_He's probably not there,_" the Boneknapper replied in a dry tone. "_We stormed off a group of Viking ships near the border of the island today. They flew the sails of this isle."_

Toothless cursed under his breath. It took a dragon a bit more than a half hour to fly from their island to Berk, but Viking ships took days, weeks even depending on the tidal currents and weather conditions. If they chased off her father's ship that day, it would take too long for them to get back to save Hiccup's life.

He contemplated perhaps Gothi, considering she was an ally as well as the village's healer, but her home was too high up. They'd surely be seen if they even attempted to get close.

_The fin_, he thought remembering the other place she pointed out to him. _"Near the side of the cliffs on the east there's a building with a vent leaking smoke, try there. It's the place where she made my fin._"

If it was near the cliff, it'd cover them from sight, hopefully this would work.

…

Gobber was hammering away at some twisted swords while Gustav brought the finished weapons to the back for storage with Sharpshot playing with some loose thread hanging off of Hiccup's shelves in her study. They were officially closed for the night, but with Gustav saying he and Hiccup were sleeping over in the forge, Gobber decided to stay up and wait till her return.

He was happy she had someone to spend her time with, she made an excellent mentor and treated Gustav like a younger brother and most importantly, like a friend. She didn't have many of those around, being as she usually kept to herself and that Stoick was overprotective and wary of her being out with others. The one person she ever truly bonded with was her mother, but with her gone for so long he feared Hiccup would never find someone to be there by her side. He honestly hoped that person would be Aarne. He always looked out for her in secret; he'd even beat at Snotlout and Tuffnut if they harassed or pulled vile pranks on her and would give Ruffnut an icy stare as his honor forbid him to hit girls.

Lately, he could see the internal struggles that haunted Aarne. It was the day that he cut and bruised her that set off the first crack in his usually apathetic demeanor but it was the revelation that she had someone special in her life that really caused his torment. They both had talked a few days ago about the subject. Aarne only wanted her happy and safe and yet he was bound to his duty to Stoick to look over her, even if she didn't want that. For Aarne, it bothered him she was keeping secrets from others, running off into the forest for long periods of time with Thor-knows-who and acting as if nothing had changed. Gobber had told him to not let it dwell on him but he knew the lad couldn't and it got to the point where he told her what was on his mind and quite possibly ruined their already fragile acquaintanceship.

Things were complicated.

…

Gustav was in the shed where all the stock weapons for the shop were kept when he heard the faint calls of dragons. He raised his hand to his ear and walked outside to the ledge over the cliff where he saw two dragons carrying a sail and in it laid Toothless.

"Toothless? What are you doing here?!" he said in a semi-whispering tone between his teeth.

"_Gustav?"_ Toothless looked closely to make sure it was him and sure enough it was the little guy himself. "_He's a friend, we can trust him,_" he told the two as they nodded and slowly lifted themselves up to the cliff with Gustav as their lookout.

Once the sail was firmly planted to the earth, the Gronckle and Boneknapper unveiled the wrap to reveal Toothless and Hiccup in his arms clinging for life.

"Hiccup!" Gustav couldn't help but exclaim as he ran to her side.

She was ice-cold to the touch and covered in grime and cuts. Her body smelt of smoke and burnt flesh. He dared not lift her, not sure if she'd feel pain.

"Hiccup's back, nice of you to…" Gobber limped out to the back, a smirk on his face till it spun into a shocked expression at the sight before him.

He inhaled a big chunk of air, ready to yell out and alert the village till…

"No, no, no! Please, Gobber, don't! I know this looks crazy but we don't have time to panic!" Gustav got up and stepped out of the way so Gobber could see what he meant.

The air in his lungs escaped him at the image of Hiccup cut and bruised in the paws of a jet black dragon, one like he had never seen before and for a moment the thought of dragons became absent in his mind as he paced to kneel to her side. He reached out and lifted her upper body to his ear, praying to hear a heartbeat and he thanked the gods she was still among them in the land of the living.

"She needs a doctor, fast. Sharpshot!" Gustav called out into the forge, where the small Terror emerged onto his arm as he looked down on Hiccup with utter shock on his scaly face.

"Quick! See that hut?!" he pointed out to Gothi's house in the distance, Sharpshot giving him a firm nod. "There's a healer there with a Whispering Death, tell her Hiccup is hurt and to bring medical supplies to the forge! Hurry!"

"_Roger!_" Sharpshot confirmed the order and with bat-like stealth, flew as fast as he could to relay the message.

Gobber stared back at him, his jaw figuratively to the ground.

"I'll explain later, right now we gotta get Hiccup inside!" Gustav dictated as he ran into the forge, clearing out a long table.

He really wasn't too sure what was going on, but Gustav was right; right now Hiccup was their main priority, not the dragons that surprisingly to him remained calm and non-violent.

He began to lower himself down to scoop Hiccup up, but he felt a sharp tug to his peg leg as he was flung several times in the air like a rag doll.

It was the Boneknapper.

"_Really, Boneknapper, now?" _Gronckle lowered his head in shame at the unprofessionalism of his comrade. If the flinging indicated anything to him, this was the very man who took his treasure; and as Boneknappers were, he never stopped to reclaim what was rightfully his.

"No! Bad dragon, we need him to like you!" Gustav ran out of the forge and desperately tried to jump up and grab hold of Gobber as he was swayed around with no results.

From the constant shaking and flailing sounds from Gobber's body, Gustav could see a small white buckle holding up his pants. It was almost bone-white and it was then he saw the small gap in the dragon's armor of bones. It matched the buckle perfectly. Maybe that was what he wanted?

"Gobber, take off your pants!"

"Huh?" Gobber managed as his long blonde braided mustache slapped him in the face.

"Listen to me! I think he wants your belt buckle!" Gustav shouted loud enough for him to hear but not enough to wake up the entire neighborhood.

And as any stubborn old man would do, he held his ground despite being tossed around by the Boneknapper. "No way, it's mine!"

"Give him back his bone!"

"Noooo!" Gobber cried out as the Boneknapper's movements became more quick and sudden.

"GIVE HIM BACK HIS BONE!"

"NOOOO!"

Frustrated, the Boneknapper flung the stubborn Viking into the air, as shaking wasn't giving him what he wanted.

"Nooooo!" he cried out in the air. Looking done, he could see Hiccup, still unconscious. The buckle was his treasure and he wouldn't give it up for anything, except her. If he didn't give the beast what he wanted, there wouldn't be any time to save her. He needed to let go of this material item, even though it meant a lot to him, Hiccup just meant more. He reached down to his belt and unfastened the buckle, tossing it to the armored dragon.

"Alright."

As the bone flew slowly towards the Boneknapper, it angled itself, perfectly aligning with the gap in his armor, the area giving a faint clicking sound upon contact. The Boneknapper spread his wings out in victory as he felt the strength of his armor take effect. For years, he had been perfecting his coat and now that it was complete, he felt like a new dragon.

Gobber fell hardly on the ground head first but miraculously was alright, this wasn't the first time he fell from the clutches of a dragon. He looked up to the boned dragon, who took in a deep breath and…

"SHHHUUUSSSHHH!" Gustav pressed his index finger to his lips so the dragon wouldn't roar out, they needed silent not screeching.

The Boneknapper gulped in the air back into his throat, repressing a roar. He crept towards Gobber who rose from the ground and they locked eyes.

"Alright. You've got me. You can roast me alive, grind my bones to dust, whatever you want but first let me save her. That's all I ask of you," Gobber lowered his head, waiting for his end, praying he'd be allowed to live long enough to save Hiccup.

To his surprise, he felt the vibrating touch of the Boneknapper's jaw on his left arm, nuzzling it like a big puppy-dog. He looked over to Gustav with a confused stare as his pants finally fell to the ground. "Eh, ha-ha."

"Ah, that's gonna give me nightmares," Gustav looked away, glad they seemed to have formed a connection but he knew they didn't make water hot enough for his mind to clear away the image of Gobber's underclothing.

"Well, aren't you cute? Yes you are, yes you are!" Gobber rubbed his hammered limb under the dragon's chin who laid upon the ground cozily with his tail curled to the side before falling flat with a purr as he hit his sweet spot.

"Alright then," Gobber said as he pulled up his pants and gave his belt and tight knot to secure it. "We've wasted enough time, let's get her inside," he paced to her once more and the black dragon allowed him to scoop her up and take her into the forge where he gently laid her on the table.

"Gustav, closed the windows and wait for Gothi to arrive...Ouch!" he stated till he felt the familiar hit to his head by the shelled staff, a Terrible Terror atop it. "Just how long have you been there?!"

Ignoring him, Gothi took a careful look over Hiccup's smoked body. She smelt of ash and dragon flesh. Whatever happened to her was beyond what any of them could have ever imagined. As usual she examined her tongue which was dry and laced with speckles of black soot that reached further into her throat. The most horrible of her injuries had to be her leg, burned below the knee with the ruined bones in her foot exposed. Hiccup's body was doing well to keep blood from escaping, but they needed to operate immediately before infection set in. Gothi reached into her bag of medical supplied and took out a bottle of clear liquid and a small hypodermic needle made of finely sharpened bone. She opened the bottle and dipped the needle into the sedative and reached out for Hiccup's arm to locate a vein. After the vein became visible, she pierced the skin and allowed the sedative to flow into Hiccup's bloodstream, relaxing her mind and body to a numbness where she couldn't feel anything. When she pulled the needle out, she applied pressure to the spot and waited for the relaxant to take full effect.

Slowly opening her eyes, Hiccup looked over to Gobber, who was hovering over her. She thought she was in dream.

"Gobber," she called out faintly.

"I'm right here, Hiccup. We're gonna fix you right up," he tried to hide the shaking sound of his voice seeing her weakly try to speak.

"Trust…Toothless. The dragons…were not the enemy," she slowly whizzed feeling the sedative take effect.

"Who was, then?" Gobber asked, curious as to what led to her becoming in this state as he lifted her head for a drink of water from a nearby cup.

"Tyrant dragon, he controlled them," tears slowly started to form before sliding down her dusted face. "I killed…a dragon, Gobber. I took a life…I'm a monster."

Her mind was slowly going blank as she fell into a depression. She knew what she did was right for the dragons and yet she had to live with the blood of the demon on her hands for the rest of her life.

Gobber looked down on her frail form, a feeling of sorrow in his heart. He could remember his first dragon kill; to him it was a thrill, a rush of power. It was the Viking way. But Hiccup, showed empathy and misery over what in their culture was considered an honor and the highest achievement one could do. He looked out to the dragons who silently stayed outside in the cover of night that he hadn't noticed the black one slowly make his way in, resting his head near hers by the table as he wiped away her tears. She turned to him, and to his surprise, she didn't look at this creature with fear or hate, but affection and the dragon in turn purred lovingly. Gobber saw something in that very moment he never thought he'd see between Vikings and dragons.

All his life, he made weapons to hunt and kill them, now he looked around his shop with dread at what he created.

"Hiccup, what you did, was quite possibly the single most gallant and courageous act no other Viking could do. You freed us all," he placed his hand to her face as her eyes were shutting to deep numbing sleep. "You saved us."

With those words, Hiccup's lids fell as she drifted to unconsciousness.

…

Gobber looked over to Gothi and Gustav who watched as she relaxed. It was time for them to get to work.

He went over to the wall where he kept his bone saw prosthetic, he felt a cringe form on his face as he locked it in place. He had done this procedure many times before, but never to someone so young and cared for deeply. This would hurt him as much as it would her when she'd wake up.

He walked over to her injured leg, examining the skin and bone. She'd unquestionably lose her foot and her calf below her knee. He took a long cloth and tied it securely right above where he was going to operate to prevent bleeding. For what he could do, he'd try to cut the bare minimum and as he set the saw to her leg he looked over to Gustav.

"You don't have to watch this, lad."

"I'm not leaving her side," he replied as he took hold of her hand right by Toothless.

Gobber took a deep breath and with a heavy heart, made the first cut.

Every sound of his saw cutting into her skin and bone broke his heart. He knew men who cried out in pain, even with sedative laced in their blood. She was like a living corpse, so cold but still warm and beating with life. As he cut, he could see the shattered pieces of bone fall from the main to the table, leaving small fragments of Hiccup were they fell.

He had gutted Nadders, watched men get crushed to death by sea-serpents, even watched as a Monstrous Nightmare devoured his very hand. None of that however held a candle to the ache in his heart as he sawed into the body of his beloved apprentice and friend.

He was covered in sweat when he finished cutting though the bone. The perspiration from his brow stung his eyes and he tried to convince himself it was from the salty burn that made the tears roll down his face. He took the saw prosthetic off and called out for a scalpel which Gothi handed to him. He attached the knife to his interchangeable limb and delicately cut at the flesh, leaving as much of the clean skin as possible. Thought-out the whole process, Hiccup remained still, breathing calmly as if she was peacefully sleeping and not undergoing life changing surgery.

After the final piece of skin was cut away from the shattered leg, he stared at her slumbering form. She looked so innocent. The memories of her joyfully smiling and laughter flooded his mind as he walk over to a nearby stool, letting Gothi finish the procedure and silently wept.

…

Gothi gazed at the open wound, the freshly sawed bone slightly blunted to prevent cutting into the skin once wrapped around it. She opened her bag and took out a topical cleaner to prep the skin for suturing and once the area was disinfected, she took out a hooked needle with thin hemp thread and lightly heated the tip before making the first stitch.

She worked delicately as she closed the wound with an interrupted stitched, tightening the thread enough to firmly secure the knots between each stitch but not so much as to tear at the bruised tender flesh.

When she completed the final stitch, she tapped her staff to the ground lightly, alerting Toothless and Gustav who had their focus on Hiccup's steady breathing. She motioned over for Toothless, who slowly made his way towards her and the leg area. When he looked down his eyes widened in shock and his breath became hard and rapid.

Her leg was gone.

Gothi placed her small hand to his side, calming him as she pointed to the wound. He understood and slowly leaned in, giving it a quick sniff before lightly lacing his tongue over the sewed markings. With every lap of his tongue he blamed himself for everything.

_I wasn't fast enough to save her._

_I wasn't strong enough to protect her._

_I let her down._

After going over the wound till it was healed, he continued to lick it, maybe hoping if he tried hard enough, he could bring back her leg but that wasn't how the world worked and he knew it. He stopped when he felt the hemp thread leave her skin and stuck to his tongue, which he spat out before looking over her stump.

It was as if you never had a leg to begin with, the wound was perfectly sealed and what normally took months to heal he cleared in three minutes.

He felt the tap of Gothi's palm, thanking him for bringing her back and for soothing her injury. She could never imagine the pain in his heart but could see the remorse in his eyes and hear the soft whimpering in his voice.

She took the broken end of Hiccup's leg and held it close. It was so thin and frail she thought it a miracle she hadn't lost her entire leg or worse, her very life.

…

While Gothi and Toothless were over by Hiccup's wound, Gustav walked over to Gobber who had stopped crying and was now sitting in silence.

"Gobber," he lightly reached out for the man's shoulder. "I'm sorry." He continued after a slow breath. "She never meant for any of this to happen. The dragons. Hiccup saw something in them that we couldn't, she bonded with them, saw their life. I know it's a lot to take in right now. I'm sorry."

Gobber looked over at the young boy by him. He could see she meant a lot to him and that he knew things about dragons he didn't quite understand.

He took a deep breath before speaking.

"When Hiccup was just a babe, she was nearly killed by a dragon, gave her that scar on her chin. When her mother went to pick her up after Stoick chased it away she wasn't crying, she was smiling; reaching out for that dragon like it was her friend. Everyone in the village thought it was strange. She was born without fear of them. After her mother vanished, Stoick had Gothi block her memories of dragons and…" he paused. "Her mother's face. He thought it would be better for her if she had limited connection with them in her mind. He kept her inside as much as he could, but he couldn't keep the dragons away. With her memories hidden, she grew frightened of them and began building weapons here to protect us."

Lifting himself up, he walked over to Hiccup, seeing her wound completely healed. Gothi turned and wrote on the ground that Hiccup was going to be fine. He looked over to the dragon who never left her side.

"The Night Fury," Gustav said as he approached them.

Gobber's eyes flew open. The unholy offspring of lightning and death itself. He seemed so docile hovering over her body. He looked over this dragon from head to paw and there he saw the cuff with a red shell half. This was her special someone, the one who had made her so cheerful these past few days. She and the Night Fury were connected together and Gobber could see why he meant so much to her and vice versa.

"We better take her home, she can't rest here on the table all night," Gobber said as he bundled her up in his arms.

Toothless followed closely before Gobber turned over to him. "No, no, no, you can't follow us, go home."

"Gobber, Hiccup is his home. Toothless can't fly without her," said Gustav as he and Gothi made their way to the exit.

He remembered she said to trust him, but they couldn't possibly exit out to the plaza all the way to Hiccup's house without someone spotting them. He looked over to the Gronckle and the Boneknapper, still there by the cliff.

"Alright, you two will have to take him there. Be quiet and keep to the shadows," Gobber commanded to the two who took position to the sail as Toothless hurryingly placed himself atop it.

Gobber carefully took off Hiccup's vest, placing it over her legs before they made their way out into the cold night air.

…

The few guards out on night watch greeted Gobber and Gustav as they passed by, Gothi heading home with Hiccup's leg feeling her work was done as well as to check on Etch who hopefully hadn't broken anything while she was out. They all arranged a meeting after Hiccup and Toothless were sent to rest.

Several men asked why Hiccup was sleeping in Gobber's arms, to which he replied she was hard at work keeping their village safe, to which they'd respond with a merry cheer and went on their way, unaware to them the sacrifice she gave for them.

Soon they were at the front steps of the Haddock home. They entered the house and made their way upstairs, where Toothless waited by the skylight and upon seeing them called out to his friends to go back to Dragon Island and jumped down to the floor near her bed. Gobber lifted the furs on her bed and laid her down gently before covering her to comfort and sleep.

Toothless rested his head by her side, laying down watching her slumber. Her resting face was blanketed by the moonlight giving her an enchanting glow. He leaned in and nuzzled her hair to which she let out a small whimper. He thought of how perfect the day had started. Their flight, the way the world stopped when they were together, the little fights they shared over laughs. He wished that was where their day ended, not with her facing the Red Death, nearly losing her life for the lives of countless dragons.

It wasn't fair.

He promised to protect her and all it led to was the loss of her leg, her ability to walk, run…swim. Her flight. He could care less about his; he had done it all his life, to be free in the air with no limitations. Now she lost that high as well.

Gustav walked up to Toothless, seeing the agony in his eyes. "You brought her back alive, Toothless. Thank you."

He reached out for the twisted rods on his tail and removed them along with the tattered saddle. He placed them to the side and returned back to Gobber's.

"We should let them rest. They must have battled till the end," Gobber said as he placed his hand to Gustav's shoulder.

"Does this mean the war is over?" Gustav asked, a hopeful tone in his voice as they walked down the steps.

"Aye, but it's a peace only known to the dragons there and us. Those two changed the world, but I'm afraid things here will remain the same," Gobber finished as they opened the door, leaving Hiccup and Toothless to recover from their night of saving their worlds.

…

Back at Gothi's, she and Etch talked over what had happened. She presented Etch with Hiccup's severed leg who whiffed it then back away.

'_That's definitely Red Death's stench. Hard to believe the little runts managed to kill him,' _Etch wrote into the sand.

'_What does this mean for the fate of those on the island? And of those here?'_ Gothi asked wanting answers.

'_Without Red Death, we're all free. No more raids. With means essentially, war's over.'_

'_Not that that isn't a fine revelation, but the people of Berk are still in the shadows. As far as they're concerned, your kind is still a threat.'_

'_True, but with no raids, there is no reason for us to come here anymore.' _

There was a knock at the front door.

"It's us," the voice belonged to Gustav who slowly opened the door.

Soon Gobber stepped in, seeing the Whispering Death with her tail coiled under her body next to Gothi.

"So, what's the good news?" Gustav asked as he took seat on a stool.

Gothi scribed to them what she and Etch were just discussing, while said dragon filled in additional information here and there.

"It's gonna take a miracle for the others to figure all of this out, it's not like we can go up to them and say it's all over," Gobber said after all the facts were put out.

"And what about Hiccup? It's not like we can hide the fact she's missing a leg from everyone," Gustav added.

They all thought for a while, wondering what could possibly sound plausible as to how Hiccup lost her leg. It's not like they can say it fell off. Gustav looked over to the leg, cringing over the fact Gothi still had it with her then over to Etch. An idea formed in his head.

"A trap!" he shouted out.

"Huh?" Gobber shot him a confused look.

"Here me out: Hiccup went to the forest after she left the forge. What if on her way there, she tripped a dragon trap we have around the island. And when she didn't return, you and I went out to go look for her, found her and brought her to Gothi to heal. It would explain the leg and why we're the only ones who knew about it first. All the guards know is that she was working to keep us safe, which isn't a lie."

It was a plausible scenario...people would lose their limbs in the forest all the time if they weren't careful, especially at night. Lying to the village wasn't right, but it was the right thing to do for Hiccup.

They all nodded in agreement before turning in for the night, Gobber and Gustav heading to the forge.

"You can go home if you want, Gustav," Gobber said as the young lad was walking by his side.

"I know, but I can't stop thinking about Hiccup. I wish I could have helped out instead of standing around doing nothing."

"Are you kiddin' me? You stopped me from alerting the entire village, had that Terror call for Gothi and figured out how to get the Boneknapper to calm down. You did just as much as we did. I'd say you were excellent in taking control of the situation," he said ruffling Gustav's helmet.

Gustav gave a big smile. "Thanks, Gobber. You think we can make Hiccup a new leg and Toothless a new fin and saddle?"

"Absolutely, I will need help from a junior apprentice to get it all done before day break," he smirked to Gustav.

"Check!" Gustav answered with a hop in his step as they made it to the forge, readied the pit and getting to work on the leg, fin and saddle so that the two saviors of both dragon and Viking could soar once more.


End file.
